


One Night in Barcelona

by commandles



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015), The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Fluff, Homophobia, Instagram, Lex's origin story, Meeting the Parents, Slow Burn Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Smut, SuperCorp, Swearing, hints of an abusive relationship between Kara/Mon-El
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 09:48:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 32,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12528588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandles/pseuds/commandles
Summary: Lex Luthor is a male model and Instagram star with a huge ego. Fine Arts major Lena is away at college, struggling with her sexuality and living in his limelight, until something happens that sends Lena on a lonely journey to being the most hated person on campus. Kara Danvers from down the hall is the one person on campus that sees the good within Lena.





	1. August

Her neck burned red in embarrassment. She could hear their stifled whispers wafting out from the rows behind her.  
“Do you think it’s really her?”  
“I heard she was taking this class.”  
“Yeah but Jess said the professors failed her for being in Rome instead of class.”  
“Well I think it’s her!”  
She could feel tears welling up in her eyes as the embarrassment seared her cheeks. She dropped her head lower, letting her long, dark hair gently fall to hide her face. She hated people. She hated people talking about her. She hated them even knowing she existed. She contemplated melting into her seat, but she just swallowed and forced herself to concentrate on her notebook. The professor was droning on about creative expression, or something. She never found this professor particularly engaging. As the whispers slowly started to waft back to her, she sank further into her chair.

The professor announced a short break. Lena sighed, feeling the boredom of the class weighing on her energy. She rifled through her backpack for her phone. No notifications. She went to unlock it, but she was immediately ambushed.  
“Lena?” squeaked a voice beside her. She could feel the shape of a person standing above her. She glanced up. Two small, blonde young women stood beside Lena’s row, a little further back than you might normally stand when talking to someone, as if approaching a bull terrier. They wore Nike caps and long fingernails. Lena’s face twisted in grim anticipation.  
“OhmygoshitisyouhimynameisAbbieandthisismyfriendPaulawejustwonderedifwewouldbeabletotakeapicturewithyou?” Abbie’s face was bright with expectation. Lena hated photos.  
“For Instagram?” chimed the friend, Paula, stepping out a little more bravely from behind Abbie.  
Lena hated Instagram, too. She feigned a smile, her lips pressed tightly together. She glanced over her shoulder at the people watching them. Then she turned back, and stared at the wall behind the two women, locking her jaw against the embarrassment she felt rising in her cheeks.  
“Sure,” she grimaced. Abbie and Paula glanced at each other in delight, instantly realised they had done so, and tried to play it cool. They bounded awkwardly forward to get closer to Lena, unsure how to be around her. Paula pulled out her shiny, rose-gold iPhone and unlocked the screen. Abbie watched Lena expectantly. 

Lena felt awkward. She quickly realised she would have to stand for the picture. People that had left the lecture theatre were filtering back in now. Several people were watching the scene intently. She could hear the murmur of excited whispering start to echo around her. She stood. She felt all of the eyes of the room following her now. Her teeth clenched together, and her jaw jutted angrily forward, set against the flood of emotions she was pushing back. She pushed her hair behind her ear as the two women set themselves up on either side of her. Unsure what to do with her hands, she reached around the two women, as if to put her arms around their waists. She felt her breath catch in her throat. Awkwardly, she left her arms hovering just behind their waists, suddenly struck by the vulnerability of hugging two strangers. 

“Ready?” asked Paula, directing the question entirely at Abbie. Lena mentally prepared her usual ‘look’. The women fussed a little more beside her, fixing a strand or two of hair, angling the phone a little. Lena drew her pose out onto her face, her jaw suddenly soft. She parted her lips slightly and gazed into the little lens. 

After a moment, Paula relaxed her arm, drawing Abbie in to look at the screen. Lena paused, waiting for their hums of satisfaction as they flicked through the pictures. They seemed to settle on one image and smile.  
“Amazing, thank you so much, Lena!” one of them giggled. They hurried off to their seats, whispering excitedly. Lena turned back to her seat, letting her hair fall back out from behind her ear. As she reached to re-lower the folding seat, someone close to her cleared their throat. She glanced up to see a young man. His black jeans were suction-tight against his legs, and his baggy National College basketball jersey hung from his excited shoulders.  
“Sorry to bother you, Miss Luthor. Would I be able to grab a quick picture as well?” Lena glanced up at the small line of people forming behind him, seemingly egged on by the successes of Abbie and Paula. She took a moment to collect herself, staring in frustration and embarrassment at the splotchy carpet of the lecture theatre steps. She sucked it all away and turned back to him.  
“Absolutely” she beamed. He grinned, and unlocked his phone.

***

Lena stepped into her small dorm room, swinging the door closed lazily behind her. In her hand she clutched her notebook, a few loose papers already beginning to fall from it. It was the first day and five phone numbers had already been handed to her. She hated this.

She grasped at the jug, picking it up roughly to weigh how full it was. It was fine; she switched it on and grabbed her mug from the shelf. Her shoulders were sore from tensing all day. She rolled them backward as she hunted for a teabag. All she needed was her tea. That would calm her back down. She could feel the weight of her tired body. 

Before the kettle could boil, her phone reconnected itself to the wifi and began to ping. Incessantly. She pulled it from her bag and glanced at the notifications. Instagram. She shoved it hastily into her pocket and turned back to the jug. She drummed her fingers. It began to steam. She could feel her temples throbbing and stretched out her jaw. She went straight back to clenching it.

Tea in hand, she settled into her desk chair and eased open her laptop lid. Her phone vibrated against her leg. She pulled it out and set it down on top of some textbooks on the far side of the desk. As her computer brightened, Facebook was open already. Eighteen notifications. She sighed softly and opened a new tab. Instagram loaded quickly. She scrolled briefly through some sketches posted by the artists she followed. There were a few posts from Lex. He was shirtless by a sparkling infinity pool. His abs seemed to glint in the bright Spanish sun. 2.6m likes. Then he was leaning against his Lamborghini, shirt off, soft waves of the Mediterranean stretching out behind him. 3.7m likes. Another one about gratitude, his shirt off again. She glanced out her own window. A few meek rain clouds lingered, grey against the stark slate sides of the library building. She clutched her tea a little tighter, feeling the warmth of the cup bite into her palm. Partially, she wished she was there, too. But the thought of having to be around her parents – perhaps she preferred the grey of the campus. 

Lena flicked to the search bar and started typing. After the ‘#’ and the ‘L’ the autofill flicked open. #lenaluthor appeared first. 27,743 posts. She clenched her jaw. Yesterday it was 27,600 and something. She took a sip of her tea but it was too hot. Her tongue burned. She clicked into it. Hundreds of images flooded the screen. Thirty or forty photos of her with her classmates beamed out at her. She looked the same in all of them. She took some comfort in the regularity of her pose across the photos. She liked the recent addition of the parted lips, and noted mentally to keep using the move. That was the only comfort, though. There were maybe eighty other photos. Most were of the back of her head in different lecture theatres. In some, there was a faint figure with long, black hair striding across the campus far into the distance. Her skin felt crawly. She glanced over her shoulder, finding only her dormitory door watching her. She drew the mug closer again and felt the tears from her long day returning.

She sat for a moment like that, head racing with the feeling of somebody watching her. She got up quickly and hunted for the TV remote. It wasn’t on the coffee table or the side of the couch. She leant over and felt down between the couch cushions. Bingo. She flicked the TV on. An ad for washing powder jingled back at her as she wandered back to her computer desk. She liked the background noise. It quietened the most nervous thoughts at the back of her mind. 

She turned her mind back to her laptop, bored eyes sifting lazily through her Facebook feed. She had quickly caught up to the old posts on her Tumblr feed, and she didn’t have Twitter. She had an Instagram, but she mostly posted anonymously with pretty pictures of clouds and used the account to see who has been taking photos of her. She had long since reached the bottom of her patience for the Facebook newsfeed, but she was avoiding several assignments, so she kept scrolling through. 

The ad break finished and the TV volume softened. She glanced up at the screen. A pimply kid in a blazer seemed to be signing up to something? It seemed like he was in a school. Lena’s eyes flicked quickly back to Facebook, watching absent-mindedly as video compilations of puppies played out silently.  
“Girls,” spat the character on TV, “stupid. You’re all so stupid.” Lena glanced back to it. It was the pimply one again. She felt her blood pressure rise despite herself. She spun her chair towards the TV, her interest accidentally caught. A pretty blonde person with a short bob haircut filled the screen, lying as if sunbathing on what looked like a school corridor floor. Another student appeared and made a sex joke. Lena rolled her eyes and swung the chair back to the computer. She reached for the remote.  
“You couldn’t make me feel alright if you stapled your tongue to my clit and stood on a cement mixer,” said the TV. 

Oh. 

Lena paused, and then swung back to watch. Maybe it was her kind of show after all. Naomi, her name was, the one with the bob. Her hair was bleached blonde, cut into a messy bob. She wore overalls – skirt overalls? One shoulder strap hung loose. She had feminist patches all over her handbag. She made quips about surveillance culture. Her eyes were soft grey, her eyeshadow smoky. Lena caught herself thinking about it, and blushed. She just wished she had the same effortless cool, she told herself.

It turned out that Naomi had kissed another woman. Twice. There was some kind of tension. Naomi and the pink-haired woman got drunk together in Naomi’s bedroom. Her name was Emily. She was really pretty, too. She left a cute note in Naomi’s bed. When Naomi called Emily and asked if they could go somewhere. Then the two women stripped to their underwear and jumped into a pond. Flirting. They held hands, and then they were taking their clothes off. Quickly. They had sex but Naomi wasn’t brave enough to stay. And when the episode finished with Naomi crying outside Emily’s door, holding hands through the cat flap, Lena’s hands unclenched from the edge of the sofa to leave soft, hand-shaped dents in the seat of the couch. It was hours before she could get Naomi and Emily out of her head.

***

Softly, Lena squeezed the door of her room closed. She flicked on the kettle and put her phone down so she could ignore the pinging. She clutched the warm tea softly and opened Instagram. Lex was shirtless. There were fifty or so new photos of her. She checked over her shoulder, unable to shake the uneasy feeling that she was being watched. She sipped at her too-hot tea. Emily and Naomi. She decided against rewatching the scenes, against looking them up online. 

Five minutes later, and she was loading up the episode. She had decided that she liked the soundtrack. She wanted to find the songs. She would have to watch again just to make sure she got the right ones. Her phone pinged a few times beside her. She glanced over her shoulder, then down at her phone. More from Instagram. She sighed gently, watching the buffer slowly creep up on her video.

Naomi called Emily. She seemed nervous, breathing held as she clicked the contact and it began to dial. Lena’s breath was held, too. She shivered slightly in excitement, in anticipation, lost in the show. Just as the scene cut to the two women cycling happily down the country lane, Lena heard a loud crash from the hallway. Really loud, like someone had driven a petrol truck through a dorm wall. She stabbed urgently at the space bar to pause the video. Her heart was beating quickly. She listened for more sound. Nothing came. She paused, stuck in her indecision. People in horror movies always died because they went to investigate, right? 

Breathing gently through the anxiety from the fright, calming her throbbing pulse, Lena hit play. 

CRASH. 

She whacked the space bar and leapt to her feet. In two strides she was at the door. She pulled it open and it walloped against the entrance wall. She strode fiercely into the hallway, forgetting for exactly one moment who and where she was. Other faces were peering nervously out of doorways. The corridor buzzed with the static of curious whispers. Lena glanced around. Her next-door neighbour was clutching their door frame, making gentle gasping motions with their lips. Lena frantically searched their face for the problem.  
“Are you okay?!” Lena cried.  
The neighbour nodded, and said between gasps “It’s … really … you …”.  
Lena managed not to let her scoff out of her mouth. This was getting old pretty quickly.  
“Did you hear that noise?” Lena asked the gasper. They nodded vigorously, pointing further down the hall. 

Three doors down, Lena paused at a door marked 421. A few people had been pointing at it as they whispered. Now they were pointing at it and her as they whispered. She heard the click of a phone camera behind her. She stopped and waited there, examining the door, spinning around to find something that could have made the sound, but the noise never came again, and after a while, people began filtering back into their dorm rooms. She wondered how many Instagram pictures would now go live with her in her favourite sweatpants. They were three sizes too big. She glanced down and mentally noted the food stains with a soft sigh. 

She knocked gently on the door. No response. She knocked harder.  
“Is everything okay?” she called out.  
There was a long pause, then a hurried voice called “Yes thank you, everything is fine!”  
Lena’s brow furrowed. “Are you sure? There was a loud crash and –“ The door swung open quickly, barred by the small length of flaking security chain.  
“Totally,” beamed the person inside. They smiled widely. Beads of sweat were dripping down from beneath their rolling, golden curls. “I was just, uh, practicing. I dropped the, uh, I dropped the ball, is all!”  
“Practicing?”  
But the stranger shut the door just as quickly.  
“Sorry to startle you!” the person called from behind the closed door, their voice growing more distant. Puzzled, Lena paused outside the door to keep listening, but she didn’t hear anything after that. Humpfing slightly, and hitching up her baggy sweats, she padded back to her room.

Her blood ran cold. She had left her door wide open. The two full-screen faces of Emily and Naomi beamed out at her, clearly visible on her desk from far into the hall. She gasped inwardly, silently, and rushed into the room. She kicked the door closed behind her, and it slammed roughly against the frame and locked with a loud click. She glanced around in frantic attempts to check nobody was looking over her shoulder, despite the closed door. Visibly anxious, she perched back in her desk chair and hit play.


	2. September

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lex is a prick, as usual. Unluckily for her, Lena goes to the world's most left-wing college, so the backlash is a little intense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up - there's a little bit of swearing in this one.

Lena startled awake. Her legs were tangled tightly in her sheet. She kicked it off angrily, letting the nightmare seep away. Someone had been chasing her. Her heart was still pounding. Flashes of the nightmare clapped around in her head. Her phone pinged on the nightstand. Twice. She shot it an angry glare, temper still high from her bad sleep, and stomped across the cool floor toward the shower.

The heat of the shower eased some of the tension from her shoulders, but not much. She rifled through her drawers, but most of her clothes were in the spreading washing pile in the corner. She sighed in frustration. She only had her lucky sweatpants (now Instagram famous) or the tight black jeans that stabbed into her stomach and fell down too far in the back. She picked out the jeans reluctantly, and hopped wildly around the room trying to get them past her knees. She matched them with a plain black shirt and some shades. She pushed the glasses onto her head and checked her angles in the mirror. Huffing grouchily, she pulled off the shirt and tried on another. The photos had mostly died down in class now, but she wanted to be presentable just in case. At least her butt would look good in the long-distance shots today.

Her phone rumbled against the wood of the nightstand. It seemed sustained, like a phone call. She padded over to check it, looping her hair tie around her bun. It was Instagram. It pinged again in her hand. She swiped the Instagram notification bar away, grinding her teeth together in frustration. She glanced over her shoulder, but there were only the pale green curtains watching her. She punched her way into the settings and turned off the notifications. There were no other notifications from any other apps, no messages or snaps. She hadn’t talked to her friend Lexa in a while, because she had gone on a student exchange to Australia somewhere and she was too busy having adventures. Lena sent her a poodle emoji, and considered for a minute that there was nobody else to send her messages. Muttering grouchily about Instagram, she headed off to the kitchen to make toast.

**

She checked her watch. Her Pacific Studies class was not for another ten minutes or so. She eased closer to the double doors and peered in through the gap between them. She could see her professor down the front, setting up the lecture. One or two of her classmates sat quietly in the rows. Otherwise, the room was empty. She nodded slightly to herself, egging herself on. Then she pulled one of the doors open and headed inside. 

Pacific Studies was one of her electives, not her core papers. It was a year or two behind her other courses, and some of her younger classmates were particularly fond of Instagram. But the three already seated left her be. One of them blushed slightly as Lena passed, but otherwise nothing happened. Lena strode quickly down towards the front of the classroom. Her professor smiled warmly at her.  
“Morning, Lena,” she sang kindly as Lena began shuffling down the row.  
“Morning,” Lena smiled back softly. She couldn’t remember if the professor’s name was Joan or Julia. It was something like that. Lena hoped the professor hadn’t noticed. She glanced up to check, but Professor Rāwiri was whirring around the lectern preparing notes. Lena pulled off her backpack and took her seat quickly.

Slowly, the class filtered in. Octavia, the studious notetaker, nodded a quiet greeting and took up her usual seat beside Lena. Then a student sidled up to Lena, pulling along a very hesitant friend. She recognised the student – Phoenix – from taking photos with them before.  
“This is Yellow. She was hoping to get a picture with you?”  
Yellow blushed wildly and stared at the floor as Lena smiled at her. But Lena asked her about her courses, and about what kind of pose they should do, and Yellow relaxed into the small talk. The two settled on pouts and Phoenix took a few photos. Then the professor tapped the microphone, ready to start, and Lena hid her sigh of relief in her hair. 

About halfway into the class, Lena heard the static buzz of whispers starting. Her cheeks began to burn instantly, as if in automatic response. She was sure this time it couldn’t be about her. She had barely moved for the entire class, and apart from the odd photo, the excitement about her presence had mostly died off a few weeks ago. Regardless, she slid down in her chair to avoid any gaze out of habit. She settled her eyes firmly on her notebook to hide her blazing cheeks. The professor was talking excitedly about early Pacific navigation, waving her hands in big, sweeping gestures. She was always engaging, so Lena had never heard this class start to whisper out of boredom like in some of her other lectures. Lena’s palms grew sweaty as she ran over the possibilities. Maybe her shirt had burst open at the back again? But she rolled her shoulders subtly, and the fabric felt normal against her skin. Glancing sideways and trying not to attract too much attention, she examined the people beside her. They were all focused intently on the lecture. Two seats down, Octavia caught her eye, curled her lips into a puzzled expression, and shrugged. They both looked back to the slides. The whispers seemed to be growing.

Eventually, Professor Rāwiri sighed and paused halfway through her slide on constellations.  
“I didn’t realise I was teaching high school all over again.” A wash of noise filtered through the classroom as everyone turned around to look at each other.  
“You all know how I feel about phones in class.” The professor crinkled her brow and waited, a look of expectation on her face. The class fell quickly silent. Their professor was kind, but she was also very intelligent, and thus very intimidating. Lena dropped her gaze firmly onto her notebook and hoped desperately that Professor Rāwiri knew the names of other students, too. Then, someone shouted out from what sounded like the back row.  
“Fuck the Luthors.”  
Lena felt her heart sink to the very depths of her stomach. Fuck.  
Professor Rāwiri glanced at Lena, then back to the speaker. Lena was too busy melting herself into her chair to notice.  
“Clark, I will absolutely not tolerate any disrespectful language in my classroom. Come and talk to me after class, thank you.”  
But it was too late. A stir of chatter whipped up across the lecture theatre. Lena held her breath, teeth clenched firmly together. She could feel her skin crawling, goosebumps sweeping down her spine. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as more and more people began to pull out their phones. Professor Rāwiri tapped frantically at the microphone, scowling and calling to the class. Other students in the front row began to glance at each other, and back to Lena. She raised her chin in defiance, not daring to lift her body any higher than a slouch, and stared straight ahead at the wall between the projector screens. She could feel every single eye on her back.  
“They think they own everything,” came another voice, spitting in anger.  
“Fucking Instagram posers.”  
Dr. Rāwiri tried to quieten the class, but their vocal outbursts seemed to egg others on. Lena could hear all kinds of angry muttering echoing around her. Jaw set, she picked up her notebook in one hand and her backpack, still open, in the other. Eyes locked on the carpet, she sidled out of her row and turned to head out of the room. A few people jeered at her as she passed. What the fuck was happening? She fixed her eyes on the back doors, feeling her jaw lock against the tirade, and headed up the stairs. She could hear the professor calling after her, but she did not turn back. With a crash, she burst out of the doors, tears beginning to overflow and stream softly down her cheeks. A few cheers followed her up the hall as she marched away.

**

Tucked safely in a stairwell, she pulled out her phone. She fumbled quickly into Google, desperate to find out what just happened. She slammed her last name into the search bar, but before she got even halfway through, she heard loud voices coming toward her in the hallway. She glanced up. Two men were watching her, standing in the middle of the hall, chins raised in threat. For a short moment she wondered what it would feel like to be crushed to death by their thick biceps. Perhaps they would throw her down the stairs. One of them caught her eye.  
“Get fuckin lost, Luthor,” he snarled. She gulped, pulling her jaw tight, and took off down the stairs. They didn’t seem to follow her, but she glanced back a few times to make sure.

**

She tore into her dorm room, the door clanging shut behind her. It locked, she checked twice, and then made straight for her laptop, flicking open the lid and drumming her fingers as it loaded. Her phone suddenly reconnected to the wifi, pinging wildly. She was sure the data was on earlier. What did she miss? Her phone screen was flooded with notifications. She had messages and emails. Dozens. She didn’t recognise any of the names or numbers. She flicked open the phone’s locked screen. Panic seared through her chest. What the fuck? Her computer blinked awake, and she opened Instagram. That’s usually what it was, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Lex had posted a photo of himself and some of his friends lounging in a huge hot tub, laughing away to each other, drinks in their hands, beach in the background, shirts off. She flicked to his profile. The same old bio popped up; there was definitely nothing inflammatory, nothing new. The same anxiety that plagued her in the night began to surge through her body once more. She opened her own tag. There were photos of her on campus today, and in class. Nothing else.

Her fingers hurried desperately across the keys. She opened Google, typed Lex’s name. It was usually him. The results flashed onto the screen, and a loud gasp escaped her lips. News headline after news headline popped up. “Luthor heir amidst tweet scandal,” said one. “Model Lex Luthor slammed for sexist tweets,” said another. Her jaw twisted tightly together. She opened the second link. Embedded in the article, blazing across the bottom of the screen, was a screencap of a Tweet. Lena recognised Lex’s picture instantly. He looked just like her, but with thicker eyebrows, and she would know his usual profile picture anywhere. The tweet read:

Women who cut their hair off may as well tattoo FAT DYKE across their foreheads #fauxpas

Underneath, Lex had posted a picture of Cara Delevigne, her new short hair prominently displayed. Lena didn’t read on. She grabbed the cushion from the back of the couch and heaved it furiously across the room. It crashed into a lamp, pulling it to the floor. She grabbed another, and another, sending them flying around her small dormitory. She rolled off the couch, sobbing in waves now, onto the floor, and lay there, snot and tears smearing into the knees of her tight black jeans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If only people took homophobia so seriously in real life! 
> 
> This chapter is all about challenging the idea that physical violence is more serious than verbal or online homophobia - our community is at risk every day because of seemingly tiny acts like this. Thankfully writing the thing means I can be in charge of the thing and make everyone overly reactive to homophobia just like I wish they would be. If anyone has any ideas of how to tag this as an AU - like 'homophobia-hating AU' idk - please let me know.
> 
> Stay tuned for Kara and Lena's first meeting - coming up in the next chapter :)


	3. October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A month after Lex's tweet, Lena is still the target of a lot of hate. After a month of holding it in, she lets it all out on a guy in her dorm hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up - swearing, and some verbal abuse/aggression from Mon-El.

The cold of winter had begun to set on the campus of National College. Lena had settled into a new rhythm, the glamour of her old wardrobe now shifted to the back of her closet. She only went out of her dorm room in huge, black hoodies, her long hair tucked cautiously down into the hood. She wore sunglasses everywhere, even indoors, and she sat at the back of all the lecture theatres, squinting slightly at the blurry slides. She carried tissues now too, although mostly people had gotten bored of spitting on her and would mostly just sneer or yell. The protesters found out where she liked to study in the library and carved #downwithLuthor into the top of the desk, so she hadn’t been back there for a while. The protests were regular, so she hid in the stairwells on Wednesday evenings until it was safe to cross campus again. 

Often, she sat at her laptop, ruminating over news articles. They reported everything she needed to know. Lex eventually took down the tweet, although he never apologised. Some groups had been demanding for him to be banned from modelling. Their parents had made a bland and noncommittal statement to the press about how Luthor Corporation supports equal rights, or some kind of rights, or something. It all felt fake. She scrolled past most of it these days. Lex continued to post fancy pictures of his shirtless body on Instagram. He seemed to have gained more followers. Lena’s evening routine was to sigh as she stared at his profile, clutching her warm tea to her palm, toying wistfully with the idea of starting a Twitter just to respond. She wanted to say something. She was getting sick of only using the pool on Sunday nights when nobody was out around campus. Lexa had sent her a few sad emojis when she heard, but she had other stuff to do. Sunbathing, probably. Riding kangaroos.

**

It was late. Sunday. The dorms were still and quiet. Lena’s tired muscles pulled at her angrily as she climbed the last few stairs to her floor, squeezing up the narrow service stairwell with her swim bag. She sighed, silently willing her quadriceps to stretch a little further. The changing room incident was swirling around her head. She couldn’t remember the name of the one she had recognised. Self-doubt was beating through her. She could still feel the spot where the warm phlegm had rolled down her eyebrow. By the top of the staircase, she was almost convinced that she must have done something to the one of them personally. It seemed ridiculous people would still be so mad with her. It wasn’t even her tweet. Right? Waddling slightly from being damp, she stepped onto the landing of her floor and reached for the door handle. 

Suddenly, there was a loud crash out in the hallway. She froze, the door barely pushed open. Her heart jolted as her ears scanned desperately for movement. The protesters had been up here before. She stiffened as two sharp yells pierced the hallway. The voice seemed to be getting further away, cursing a stream of expletives into the night. Cautiously, she edged closer to the door.  
“Kara, for fuck sakes! Open the goddamn door!” Fists pounded against wood somewhere further down the hallway.  
Lena could not help but sigh slightly in relief. It was not for her. It has been a month now at least since she has heard aggression that wasn’t directed at her. It felt like she won a million dollars. She tried to peer through the narrow window in the landing door, but she could not see anyone in the immediate hallway.  
“COME OUT AND TALK TO ME RIGHT NOW! YOU OWE ME THAT AT LEAST!” There was more fierce pounding on a door down the hall. It did not sound close enough to be next door to Lena. She contemplated slipping into the hallway, then chastised herself for not being more concerned for this Kara.   
“I told you, we’re done! Stay the hell away from me!” another voice yelled back, less aggressively.  
“Kara, don’t be ridiculous! COME OUT HERE!”  
Lena felt sick. She could feel her stomach beginning to churn with anger. She hated men. It was like a cement mixer had started up inside of her. She hated masculinity. She felt the frustration slowly picking up speed. She hated aggression. The anger sloshed heavily into her stomach. She hated entitlement. There was more pounding on the door down the hall. Quickly weighing her options, Lena clenched her jaw against the spinning emotions and squeezed the door open a fraction. In the hallway, three doors down from hers, was Mike Matthews. She recognised him instantly. His face was always plastered around the campus; he played on some sports team. They all called him Mon-El from some joke in a crappy, frat-boy-humour film that was popular for a while. Lena hesitated, her nose stretched awkwardly out the door to watch him. He was pretty big.  
“KARA, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK! COME OUT HERE, YOU FUCKING BITCH! YOU OWE ME THAT MUCH!” He pounded against the door.  
Lena tried to chest puff her with false courage like the Ted Talk on power stances she had watched last week. Then suddenly, she was striding toward him. Fear flickered traceably in her eyes for a brief second, but she pushed it down.

“Is everything okay here?” she asked, glaring up at Mon-El with her eyebrows as furrowed as she could make them. She hoped desperately that it would be enough. He spun to face her, and his huge frame towered over her. She could see the anger seared into his expression. Her heart pounded as she suddenly realised exactly what she was doing. She only came up to his chest. He scanned her face for a moment, and Lena watched as his expression soured with recognition and his lip curled into a snarl.  
“Fuck off, Luthor,” he spat, turning back to pound on the door.  
“There’s just quite a lot of shouting, I wanted to check everything was okay,” she said, way too softly.   
“Everything is fine! Can you just mind your own damn business?!”   
“It really doesn’t sound fine,” Lena retorted, feeling her frustration stirring.   
He shot her an icy stare. Aggression surged across his face.   
“Look, Luthor, nobody gives a fuck what you or your asshole brother thinks. Why don’t you turn around, and fuck off back to your room.”  
Lena felt rage surge up inside herself. He spat her name exactly the same way that everyone else spat her name. A wild expression swept across her face. The spitting incident – all of the spitting incidents – flooded her mind.  
“You know what, Mike,” she sneered, spitting his name right back at him. She could feel a month’s worth of frustration, of isolation, surging out through her mouth. She stepped up into his space, jaw clenched and thrust toward him in challenge. “I was trying to be polite. Thought you might not want to be embarrassed when everyone hears how fucking disrespectful you are. SHE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO BE HERE. Everyone on the floor can tell, except you, apparently! So why don’t you fuck off back to whatever shithole you crawled out of?” 

Further down the hall, several nosy faces were peering out to watch. She could feel her blood pounding in her ears. He watched her for a second. He seemed to weigh up his options, glancing at her small stature and then again at her threatening posture. His eyes seemed to linger for a moment on some of the faces that were watching. She could smell alcohol on his breath as she stepped toward him again. He drew back.  
“Piece of Luthor filth,” he breathed spitefully.  
“Get lost. She said no,” Lena said, widening her eyes with staunch, unfiltered bravado. He paused for a long moment, and then turned and retreated down the stairs, cursing her out venomously as he went. Lena held herself there for a few more moments in case he changed his mind. She heard him slam the stairwell door, and the sound of his furious footsteps faded away.

Lena exhaled loudly, letting go of her clenched jaw. She turned around and strode quickly back towards her own door. She could feel all of her emotions flooding out, and adrenaline tears began to well in her eyes. She hoped nobody had taken a video. Just as she reached for the handle of her room, she heard the tenderised door swing open softly. Nervously, she glanced down the hall. It was the stranger with the rolling, golden curls, the one that had been doing sport in their room apparently, a few months ago. Kara. They were blonde, wearing glasses, their hair tied back in a messy ponytail. The two made eye contact. Lena felt muggy embarrassment wash over her entire being, but at least the tears seemed to absorb back into her tear ducts by some miracle. She dropped her gaze, letting her dark hair fall down across her face, and she fumbled quickly with the key.  
“Hey,” breathed Kara from down the hall, a bit unsteadily. Lena paused for a moment. She considered escaping back into her room. She heard the pins switch open in the lock, and paused. After a long silence, she looked up at her hallmate.  
“Hey,” she responded quietly.   
Kara still seemed to be tensed tightly, as they only raised their arm from their elbow when they waved their thanks.  
“Thank you,” they said.   
“No worries,” Lena said quietly, unsure of what else to say.   
“Lena Luthor, right?”   
“Yeah. Good guess,” she said, glancing down at Kara’s t-shirt, which had #downwithluthor printed boldly across the chest. Kara breathed out a laugh, but said nothing. Lena felt her heart racing. She worried for a brief moment that Kara was plotting against her already, and tried to push the thought away.  
“I don’t mean to say that you needed saving or anything,” Lena reflected into the awkward silence. “I just really don’t like – ” she went to say ‘men’ but remembered that was not really an appropriate thing to say out loud, especially to strangers.   
“ – people should take no for an answer,” she finished instead. Lena ducked her head, turned back to stare at the doorknob. Her dark hair hid her flushed cheeks. Embarrassment flooded her again. Too many emotions were beginning to push their way out of her.  
“Don’t be sorry!” Kara exclaimed, seeming to notice Lena’s move to shrink back into her bedroom. “I get it. And it was really helpful – I didn’t think I could yell at him anymore, I thought I might – um,” she hesitated, “I was too angry to talk any sense into him by that point.”   
Lena looked up. Kara was squirming a bit. Their cheeks were flushed bright red. They fidgeted with their hands, and seemed to be thinking about something. Lena felt exactly the same way.  
“Okay, well, good luck with him. I’d better get to bed,” Lena stated cautiously.  
“Wait,” said Kara, even less conviction in their voice than in Lena’s, “would you, um, like to come in? For a hot chocolate? I mean, or I have tea I think.” They smiled softly at Lena.  
“Why?” Lena said, a little more gruffly than she had anticipated. The stranger didn’t flinch at Lena’s unchecked frustration, but Lena screamed internally.  
“Oh,” said the stranger, “um, I guess to say thank you for sticking up for me?”   
“Oh no, I - nobody will ever talk to you again if they catch you talking to me,” Lena said quickly. Before the stranger could say anything more, Lena pushed her way into her dorm and let the door click shut behind her.


	4. November

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara does what she does best and sticks up for Lena when nobody else does.

Lena packed her notebook and pen back into her backpack, and pulled her dark aviator shades down across her eyes, steeling herself for the walk across campus. The lights came up higher, and her gender studies professor turned back to the lectern to pack up her things. Lena pulled up her hood and tucked her hair away in one deft movement. She had had a lot of practice. Then, jaw set, she slung her backpack over her shoulder, raised her chin, and sidled out of the row. Apart from a few sideways sneers, her exit from class was wholly uneventful. She caught some of the chatter around her, and it wasn’t even about her. For a second, she almost smiled through her cold, set jaw, but she caught herself before she could reveal any hole in her armour. 

At the top of the stairs, she was stopped in her tracks by a tall, gangly senior wearing a tight cardigan over a crisp button-down shirt. He was holding a small notebook. Lena sighed deeply. It was Clark ‘Fuck the Luthors’ Kent, from her Pacific studies class.  
“Lena,” he said.  
“What do you want now, Clark?”  
“We’re doing another story on – “  
“Not interested,” Lena cut him off. She brushed past him, but he quickly fell into step beside her, as if he had had to do this a few times before.  
“Lena, it would help to clear your name. Maybe people would stop spitting ...” he trailed off as Lena shot him a sharp glare.  
“You fucked me over, Clark. I’m not doing this again.”  
“Listen,” he said, as if he hadn’t heard a word, “we’re going for a great angle this time. We will pair Lex with – “  
“Clark, I’m not doing it.”

By the time Lena reached the student café, Clark was still hovering beside her, peppering her with questions. She hated men. He wasn’t listening to any of her ‘no’s, so Lena had taken to ignoring Clark completely, her jaw set against the frustration. She passed the café doors. The place was bustling. A thick cluster of people crowded in the bay window waiting for their coffee orders. Clark stopped humming in her ear very suddenly, and vanished inside. Lena glanced around, unsettled by the sudden disappearance. A large smile cracked over her face, and she promptly turned on her heels to escape. 

But just as quickly, he was back. Kara was at his side, looking quite cross with him.  
“What do you want, Clark?” Kara was saying. “I don’t want to hear another story about how good your grades are.” Clark ignored Kara as well. He quickly fell back into stride with Lena. Lena’s ears were already shining bright crimson.  
“Lena,” he nattered, “This is Kara. She works at the National News with me.”  
Lena glanced up, a scowl still locked across her face. Kara met her eye kindly, and beamed at her.  
“Yeah,” Kara said quickly, “we’ve met.” Lena ran the statement across her mind hundreds of times in that second. Had Kara liked meeting her or were they cross? It was hard to tell, but Lena couldn’t help replaying each awkward syllable she had uttered anywhere near Kara that night. She dropped her gaze, hoping it would hide any blushing.  
Clark turned to address Kara. “Listen, I’m trying to get a bit from her for the new Luthor piece. She won’t listen to me.”  
Kara read the expression on Lena’s face at once.  
“Yeah, I wonder why. Can you get lost now? I think she might punch you.”  
Clark hesitated, scanning Kara’s face with a look of unmasked betrayal.  
“Honestly,” said Kara, “I’ve seen her take on worse.”  
Lena smiled a little under her scowl. She thought maybe Kara might have caught it. Clark frowned, then turned and skulked off.  
“Sorry,” Kara said instantly, turning back to Lena, who was still marching across the grounds. “He’s like that with everyone.”  
“Men,” said Lena, almost under her breath. Kara laughed softly.  
“Well, people who don’t take no for an answer,” said Kara. Lena’s ears flushed, and she tried very hard not to smile.

The pair walked in silence across the quad, headed towards their dorm.  
Kara hesitated, and then said “sorry about using she/her pronouns, I mean I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t want to assume otherwise in case you didn’t know about stuff – ”  
Lena glanced up, surprised. The look seemed to pause Kara’s nervous babbling.  
“That’s great,” Lena smiled quietly, “she/her pronouns are great.”  
“Okay, cool,” said Kara, relaxing. “Me too.”  
Lena nodded, and they walked along in awkward silence. Lena clenched her jaw, feeling nervous and trying not to show it. Kara seemed to squirm at the silence.  
“What are you doing right now?” Kara asked abruptly.  
“I was just going to head back to my room. I’m done with class for the day.”  
“Great!” Kara chirped. “Can I take you out to lunch?” Lena stopped in her tracks and gawped at her.  
“What?” said Lena.  
“I mean, to thank you. For Mon-El. The other day?” asked Kara. Lena glanced over at her, startled.  
“Why?”  
“Ah, you helped me out? I really want to say thank you.”  
“Honestly, I meant what I said, nobody will want to talk to you,” Lena said bluntly. She probably just wanted the story, same as Clark. Kara smiled softly at Lena.  
“I think I’ll be okay,” she laughed. “How does the café sound?”  
Lena ran the conversation over in her head as they walked. What did she mean, she will be okay? Lena snuck a glance at Kara, her blonde ponytail bobbing slightly ahead of Lena. She gulped, and trailed after her nervously. By the time they reached the café, Lena was almost certain that the meeting was going to be a trap of some kind. Almost certain. Lena’s body tensed tightly as they walked in strained silence back to the café.

The crowd in the café had thinned right down. Lena glanced at her watch. 1pm exactly. The lunch rush must have vanished back into the dim lecture theatres and study rooms. Lena was a bit fidgety thinking about all of the exam study time she was missing, but it was nice that there weren’t many people around. Perhaps she could even take her hood off. 

The pair ordered the renowned ramen bowls from the front counter. Lena had insisted on paying, but she had been firmly out-insisted by Kara. Then Kara led them to a table tucked quietly into the corner of the café. Nobody looked up as they passed and Lena had to stop herself from sighing out loud in relief. Kara stood awkwardly, gesturing for Lena to sit first. She seemed stiff. Lena recognised the feeling. The pair sat and neither seemed to know what to say.  
“Do you have a good exam timetable?” Kara asked after a bit. She smiled at Lena, but to Lena the smile seemed a bit fake, or forced.  
“Yes,” said Lena measuredly, “thank you. And yourself?”  
“Mine is terrible. I have two on Tuesday, one day off, then two on Thursday.”  
“Ouch.”  
“Yeah,” agreed Kara. They fell back into silence.  
“So, you work with Clark at the National News?” asked Lena, watching for Kara’s reaction. Kara scanned Lena’s face, and softened into a smile.  
“Don’t worry,” said Kara, “I’m not here to get the inside scoop.”  
Lena’s lack of trust in the statement must have shown on her face. Kara laughed.  
“Honestly. I don’t take orders from that guy. From any guy, really.”  
Lena smiled, and they quickly fell back into awkward silence.

Lena was lost in thought, trying to place why Kara seemed guarded. Lena glanced over her shoulder quickly, checking nobody was watching them. That was probably it – maybe Kara didn’t want to be seen with a Luthor. Kara noticed the glance.  
“How have you been holding up?” Kara asked awkwardly, “you know, since the Lex thing.”  
Lena was a bit startled by the personal question.  
“Fine,” she said gruffly. She caught herself, and added “I mean, it gets a bit boring having people spit on you and yell things all the time. But I’m okay, I’m a big girl,” Lena chuckled, but her gaze was steely and measured. Kara’s eyes widened in horror.  
“Spit on you?” she asked.  
“Yeah, it’s kind of gross the first few times,” Lena nodded, “but you get used to it.”  
Kara seemed to gasp inwardly, searching Lena’s face for any sign that it was a joke. Lena just shrugged and looked down at the table.  
“Oh my god – I – ” Kara said, but their ramen arrived. They both thanked the waitperson, and Lena quickly stared down into her dish. Kara watched her, horror still splashed across her face.  
“It’s not that bad,” said Lena quickly. She felt her ears flush again. Kara seemed to drop it, and stared awkwardly into her noodles as well, a bit lost with what to say.

They chatted politely about their dorm and some of the people that lived there. Lena did not have many names to add because she never really went along to the social events. Instead, she glanced at Kara between slurps, trying to figure her out. Her long blonde ponytail seemed to bounce in one cheerful curl as her head moved. She wore a small mauve cardigan. Lena could see the collar of Kara’s floral shirt poking out of the neck. Perhaps private school, Lena wondered. A library internship maybe? It was hard to say. Lena smiled a bit at her own joke. Kara seemed to have met everyone in the whole dorm, Lena realised with a pang of jealousy. She looked down into her ramen bowl.

Suddenly, Lena caught the muffled talk wafting over from the next table.  
“… Luthors … fucking homophobic …” said one of the people. They had short, bright green, lopsided hair.  
“Entitled brats,” said another, their long brown hair in thick plaits down to their thighs. Lena’s ears began to burn bright red with embarrassment. She locked her eyes on her ramen, slurping slowly, letting her hair shield her expression from Kara. She didn’t catch any more of the conversation, but she didn’t really need to. She collected herself for a moment, and then glanced up at Kara.

Kara wasn’t there. She was marching over to the table. Lena started swearing under her breath, wishing like anything she was in a dream and she would wake up any second now.  
“Hey Casper,” Kara said to the table, squealing slightly, her voice a fraction too high. The person with bright green hair looked up, and smiled widely in recognition.  
“Hey yourself, Kara! How are you?” asked Casper brightly. Lena thought she caught a hint of flirtation in Casper’s voice.  
“What did you think of – oh gosh, sorry, this is Hayden,” Casper indicated to the long-haired one, who smiled softly at Kara and blushed, “and this is Avery.” Avery smiled politely, their short black hair stiff with wax. Kara smiled politely back.  
“It’s nice to meet you both,” she said, and paused to draw in breath. “But I don’t think you should be talking like that.” There was a deep silence. The trio of brows furrowed deeply. Casper just stared in Kara in shock.  
“What do you mean?” Avery said eventually. “They’re the fucking nasty ones.” They locked eyes with Kara, gaze firm. Over at her table, Lena felt herself sinking down further and further into her chair.  
“I just mean, um, maybe what Lex thinks is not what they all think, you know?”  
“I mean, sure,” said Casper, obviously hurt by the challenge, “but aren’t they all the fucking same? Swanning around on Instagram with their money falling out of their eyes?”  
“Not all of them,” said Kara firmly. The trio watched her closely, trying to figure out her angle. Casper glanced around the café, searching for some motivation for Kara’s challenge. Their eyes locked squarely onto Lena’s. Lena instantly threw her gaze downwards into her ramen, but it was too late. Her cheeks flushed brilliantly red. She hoped Casper couldn’t see from that far away. Casper turned back to Kara slowly, having definitely seen from that far away.  
“Okay,” said Casper, “you’re right. I’m sure not all of the upper-class cishet white people are the same.”  
Avery and Hayden sniggered.  
“Cass,” pleaded Kara softly. Casper’s anger instantly seemed to leave their face.  
“I’m on your side, I promise,” said Kara. “But Lena is not the same as them.”  
“Okay, okay,” said Casper, entirely unconvinced. “We’ll keep it down.” Kara searched Casper’s face. It was not the outcome she had hoped for. But it seemed like it might be all she might get.  
“Thanks,” she smiled softly, “see you Wednesday?” Casper nodded. “Okay cool. Nice to meet you both.” Avery nodded slightly. Hayden smiled widely, words frozen in their mouth.

“Oh my god,” Lena said, as Kara settled gently back into her seat. Lena’s cheeks were still fiery red. She kept her gaze low for a second, pulling herself under control.  
“I’m sorry!” Kara squirmed, “I know Cass from feminist group. I thought I would be way more chill.” Lena glanced over at the other table. The trio were looking around at Kara and Lena, quite clearly talking about them. Lena smiled glumly at Kara.  
“I’m not sure you had much effect on them,” observed Lena, watching the trio across the café.  
“No,” said Kara sadly, “it went much better in my head.”  
“Yeah, that seems to be what happens,” Lena smiled softly. “I’ve found it’s best to just let it go.” The pair paused, silence hanging between them.  
“I’m sorry,” Kara said quietly, embarrassment across her cheeks, “the whole white knight act was uncool.”  
“Honestly, it’s fine,” Lena said. “It was kind of sweet,” she said, and then immediately wished she hadn’t. “At least they’re quieter now?” Lena added, hoping to hide her nervous laughter.  
“True,” Kara mused, smiling widely, visibly relieved that Lena had not stormed off. “True.”

For the rest of lunch, their chatter flowed more readily, as if Lena’s jaw had come unset and she had all of a sudden remembered how to talk. Kara was desperately interested in Lena’s stories about her childhood, and would genuinely gasp at every new thing Lena told her about life as a Luthor. They compared class schedules and found they had both been in some of the classes the other was now taking. Kara was eager to share her notes with Lena. 

As they strolled across campus toward their dorm, Lena found herself handing her phone to Kara so that Kara could plug in her email address. As they reached their floor, Lena found herself genuinely giggling at Kara’s awful puns about their gender studies professor. And as Lena reached the kettle in her room, having said goodbye to Kara at the door, she found herself still smiling widely.  
“Oh fuck,” she thought. She was in deep.


	5. December

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara invites Lena to speak at the Campus Feminist Club, and it leads to Kara hiding out all night in Lena's dorm room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one has some abuse from Mon-El in it so be prepped for that. Kara gets naked in Lena's dorm room though, so there's that ...

The bitter cold had set in across campus, but all of the visceral hatred directed at Lena had died down. She was able to go back to her favourite study desk, tucked deep into the 305.42 to 307.768 shelves. Nobody ever came down there, and the desk sat beside a large window. Lena watched the driving rain beat against the grey buildings, and nestled herself further into her favourite hoodie. She readjusted her headphones and dragged her mind back to her studies.

Someone tapped her shoulder. She startled violently, her gaze shooting upward.  
“Kara?” she blurted, her voice too loud over her music. She tugged her headphones from her ears. “What are you doing up here?”   
“I was looking for you, actually,” said Kara softly, “I searched all over the Art floor. I thought you’d be down there.”   
Lena felt blush rising in her cheeks. She glanced away, trying to hold it back.  
“The view is much nicer up here,” Lena said eventually. She turned her back to Kara for a moment, glancing out across campus.   
“Right,” said Kara, a slight grin tugging at her lips. She ran her hand across a few of the books on the shelf. Queer feminist theory. Intersectional queer theory. “The view.”   
“You were looking for me?” Lena said awkwardly, a little too eager to change the conversation. Kara smiled at that as well.  
“Oh, yes! I was. Um – ” Kara’s cheeks flushed, mind clearly distracted. She paused, trying to remember what she wanted to say. Lena smiled patiently at her.  
“Oh, I was wondering – and it’s okay if you aren’t keen, I’d completely understand – ah, I’m the chairperson of the Campus Feminist Club and I was hoping – we have guests come in sometimes to talk with us and we wondered – well, I wondered, mostly – if you would come along to our next meeting and talk to us?” said Kara.   
Lena gaped. “Me?” she asked quickly. “Why me? Didn’t you have, like, Roxane Gay in the last one?”   
This made Kara smile widely. “Yeah, we did.” She paused. “We thought that maybe you had an interesting take on Lex Luth – on Lex’s tweets.”  
Lena’s face fell. She dropped her eyes, feeling her jaw grind tightly. “Oh,” she said. Kara watched her closely, scanning her expression. “No thanks,” muttered Lena, turning as if to go back to her study.  
“Wait! Hang on,” spluttered Kara, reaching out toward Lena.  
Lena turned back. “There’s no way I’m going along to get spat at,” she said. Her jaw unlocked slightly, and her expression softened into sadness.   
“I mean, I can’t promise there won’t be some challenging questions,” said Kara quickly, “but definitely no spitting. I will make sure.”  
Despite herself, Lena could not help but smile at Kara’s tone. She seemed so genuine.  
“If there’s no spitting, there will be nothing to talk about,” said Lena in mock disappointment.  
“We had a talk at the last meeting. I think that – we think that nobody even knows you, so why do they attack you about it, you know?” Kara glanced at Lena, a mixture of awkward sincerity across her face. “I just thought it might be good to have a conversation with you about it.”  
“Yeah, just an honest conversation between a Luthor and the organisers of the #downwithluthor movement,” Lena retorted, feeling her defences rising. Kara’s eyes widened quickly, then softened.  
“Yeah, heck, you’re right,” Kara mused, pausing to think. “That sounds awful. But I thought that Lena the badass consent-loving heroine might have a thing or two in common with us.” Kara smiled a bit at her own joke. Lena’s fear softened.  
“Badass, consent-loving heroine?” she asked quickly.  
“Oh yeah. I heard you laying it on Mon-El. That manchild is nasty when he is angry. You’re like 5 foot tall and you marched right up to him and sent him packing.”  
“He is taller the closer you get,” Lena admitted with a laugh.  
“Right? You have to be badass to take him on.” This made Lena laugh. Kara beamed at the sound. “So I’d say you’re probably badass enough to chat with some other badasses about how to be a badass?”  
“Okay,” said Lena, her face still stretched into a broad grin.  
“You can handle us, right?” Kara teased. Lena nodded quickly, her laughter ringing out gently through the library shelves.

**

“Ready?” asked Kara, bustling out into the corridor where Lena was waiting. Lena could feel her knees shaking. She nodded unconvincingly.  
Kara noticed at once. “You can handle us, remember?” she smiled, touching Lena’s arm reassuringly.   
Lena’s breaths got shorter, every nerve in her arm shooting rockets to her brain, playing the touch over and over in her mind immediately. Suddenly she was much less calm than before.   
“Okay,” Kara said. “Let’s do it.”

Kara pushed through the door into the meeting room. Lena followed hesitantly behind. Forty or so expectant faces watched them enter. Lena recognised Casper’s vivid green hair at once. Avery was there, too, wearing their #downwithluthor shirt and a bored expression. Lena gulped as she crossed onto the makeshift stage. The audience was mostly arranged in a semi-circle, facing the front. She could feel all the eyes on her.

“Hi everyone,” began Kara, her voice joyful and put-on. “It’s my pleasure to introduce Lena Luthor, our guest speaker for this week. She’s going to talk to us for a bit, and then she has generously left a lot of her time for our questions, and for a more open discussion.”   
Lena smiled tightly up at Kara, acknowledging her kind introduction.   
“And as usual,” Kara continued, “and perhaps particularly today, please keep to the ground rules of the meeting and be respectful at all times. Interruptions and disrespectful language of any kind will not be tolerated.” Lena felt her throat tighten. Particularly today? This was a bad idea.

Suddenly, the floor was hers. Kara hurried to the side of the room for the projector remote, and switched it on. Lena felt immediately embarrassed. The meeting seemed so casual, and she had prepared a slideshow. Kara handed her the clicker.

“Hi everyone,” said Lena, raising her chest to project the confidence that was draining rapidly from her limbs, “my name is Lena Luthor. I think it’s fair to say that a few of you have probably heard of me.”  
Nobody laughed at the joke. Lena’s cheeks threatened to burn viciously red, but she pressed on.   
“I’m here today to hopefully begin a conversation about social media, sexism, and homophobia.”  
She flicked to the first slide. There was a picture of a bright green Irish countryside. Nestled into the pasture was a small, stone farmhouse with a run-down roof. A few sheep dotted the landscape.   
“This is where I was born,” she said, confidence rising slightly as she saw a few people sit up in interest. “It’s in Ashford, a small town near the east coast of Ireland. When I was four, both my parents died in a car accident.” The crowd cooed slightly in reassurance. Lena began to roll up her shirt. Two long, dark purple scars trailed up her pale back, from her tailbone right up to her neck. One thin line followed her spine, and the other was more jagged up her side. The crowd gasped. Kara blushed deeply at the sight of Lena’s dark, lacy bra peeking out from under her rolled shirt, and looked away. Lena was too focused on the presentation to notice.  
“I was in the car, too. I broke my back in a few places, and sliced my side open. They said I was lucky to be alive. But it didn’t feel very lucky. My parents were gone. Soon after, I moved to the U.S. to live with the Luthors. At the time there was very little explanation of who they were, or why I had to go there. I just wanted to move in with my Nan down the road. When I was older, though, I found out that my dad who’d died wasn’t actually my biological father. I’m still not sure that he ever knew that. It turns out Lionel Luthor was, so I was sent to live with him. Naturally, my adoptive mother was really unimpressed. She and Lio had been monogamous when I was conceived. But it was fine eventually, and we managed to get along peacefully most of the time.”

Lena’s slideshow continued for another twenty minutes. She showed all kinds of personal information. Childhood pets. She had photos of both her families, and gentle stories about going back to Ireland to meet her Nan again. The crowd gave her an affirming clap as she finished up. Lena glanced at Kara, and then at the crowd.   
“That’s a bit about me,” said Lena. “But mostly, I wanted to have a conversation with all of you about Lex. And that bloody tweet.”  
Kara smiled widely at Lena, quite awestruck after the slideshow. Then Kara turned to the crowd to help Lena take questions.  
“Harriet?” said Kara, glancing at a person near the front, their hand raised in the air.  
“Thank you for your talk with us, Lena. It was really lovely to hear so much about your background. My question is about social media, mostly. I noticed that you don’t really have any social media accounts. I just wondered why that was?”  
Kara smiled encouragingly back at Lena.  
“Oh, it was my pleasure. Thank you, Harriet, was it?” The person nodded. “It really comes down to being sick of seeing myself online. Every day on campus, particularly when we start a new semester, there is this big buzz that follows me. Everyone wants a photo. When I go home, I go onto Instagram and search up my own name.” The crowd laughed.  
“Honestly, hundreds of photos come up. Thousands, sometimes. Everyone is watching me. I really hate it, that feeling of knowing wherever I go, somebody is probably taking a picture of me. It makes me so tense all the time. So for me, social media is not at all a place where I can be myself.”  
“And is it hard not having them?” piped another voice from the audience before Kara could facilitate.  
“Definitely. It means I don’t get any control over what is said about me on there. I can’t say anything back. That is probably the biggest challenge, for sure. I can’t go on anything to defend myself. Twitter, for example,” Lena sighed, to a few laughs from the crowd.  
So, I guess that is the question then,” Avery said, lowering their raised hand as Kara nodded to them. “What do you think of Lex’s tweet?”  
“Wow, you don’t beat around the bush, huh?” Lena quipped. The crowd laughed. Avery smiled softly, as if trying not to smile at all.   
After a long pause, Lena looked up at Avery and said “I fucking hate that prick.”   
The crowd blinked back at her, stunned. Then they began to cheer. Kara absolutely beamed from beside Lena, clearly proud of her suggestion to invite Lena to a talk.  
“And why is that?” Avery followed up. There was a hint of defiance in their voice. Challenge, perhaps. Lena paused to consider.  
“I mean, have you seen his Instagram?” Lena remarked, grinning, “he never wears a shirt! He thinks he is a gift to the world.” Kara nodded vigorously in support as Lena continued, “I love him. I do. He was a good friend to me growing up. But he has a huge platform online, and money, and time, and pretty much anything he wants. He’s so entitled. To everything. To women’s bodies. To women’s time. He swans around like he owns everything. He dismisses most things that I say to him now because he assumes it will be an angry feminist rant. And usually it is, but he is just zero percent open to hearing that the things that he does are harmful to others. So like, screw that.”

**

Many different people came up to thank Lena after the session. Kara hovered by her side, introducing her to different people and talking about some of the accomplishments of each person. They all blushed at the conversation, but Lena gushed excitedly over each of them. As most people began to filter away, Casper and Avery appeared before the pair of women.  
“Lena,” said Casper, their voice low, “I just wanted to apologize for the other day in the café. I am sure there is nothing nice about having people talking about you all the time behind your back. You’re awesome, though. I’m really sorry.”  
Lena smiled very gently at Casper, and looked them straight in the eye, “Thank you, Casper. I really appreciate that.”  
Avery made quick, sly eye contact with Kara, and Kara nodded once. Avery cleared their throat.  
“Lena,” they said, gruffly, as if trying not to be too shy or awkward, “thanks for coming to talk to us today. My name is Avery, and I help out at the student magazine. Kara and I wondered if you would be open to us running a feature about you next month?”  
“We thought it might be cool to make you the Knight of the month,” added Kara. Lena looked at her blankly. She didn’t read the magazine. She had no idea what that meant. Kara searched her face, then gasped.  
“Oh sorry, of course!” said Kara quickly. The school magazine ran a lot of #downwithluthor content. “We just do a profile of people from the college who are doing cool stuff.”  
“I’m not really doing any cool stuff,” Lena defended weakly.  
Kara glanced up at her. Lena could feel Kara analysing her expression, and Lena set her jaw in embarrassment.   
“Excuse you, badass consent-loving heroine,” Kara retorted playfully. Lena actually laughed. Then she felt embarrassed about laughing, and blushed.   
“You did a pretty cool thing for me,” said Kara softly. Lena’s blush deepened. She looked down, allowing her hair to flick over her cheeks and hide it.  
“Okay,” Lena said quietly.  
“Okay,” Kara responded, watching Lena’s face carefully. “Are you walking home?”

**

Tucked up against the cold wind, Lena and Kara trooped across the dark, empty quad. Despite the chill, the pair both grinned widely in excitement, eager to chat.  
“Oh, shit yeah,” said Lena, laughing, “Mum in particular was super unimpressed. Dad seemed to trust me a bit more, but I do remember him saying at one point that he would die before he would hire me for the company with a fine arts degree.”  
“Ouch,” said Kara, grimacing.  
“But it was no problem, really. I have absolutely no interest in working for the company, so I just carried on and did what I wanted anyway.”  
“Very sensible,” mused Kara, her face buried into her jacket collar against the cold.  
“How about you,” quizzed Lena, glancing at Kara with excited anticipation, “did your parents like your choice?”  
Before Kara could answer, her body tensed, and her breath caught in her throat.  
“Kara?” Lena asked, feeling the sudden tension.   
“It’s Mon-El,” Kara said, her jaw grinding together tightly. Lena glanced around, but couldn’t see anything, or anyone, in the quad. Tall shadows from the nearby trees danced spookily in the wind. Panic rose up into Lena’s chest. Kara began to march determinedly, picking up her pace and fixing her gaze straight ahead. Lena followed her, running very few steps to keep up, and confused about what exactly was going on. Their path began to angle away from the dormitories.

Suddenly, Lena saw him. He was striding toward them from the other side of the quad. Anger seethed from his stride. He stumbled drunkenly on the edge of a garden bed and cursed aggressively into the night. Lena looked to Kara, wondering what to do. Kara’s pace had stepped up again. Her eyes never left Mike’s stomping figure. Her jaw was tight in anger, or fear. Lena felt herself dropping off behind Kara, unable to match her pace. Lena’s heart was now pounding in her ears, her panic surging through her, as she jogged to catch up to Kara. She tried to remember some basic karate from her few lessons as a child. Different paths home and how long they took ran through her head. She flexed her toes, trying to warm them in case she had to run away. She hesitated, glancing up at Mon-El. He seemed impossibly close, bearing down on Kara’s small frame.

His voice was thick with loathing as he spoke. “What the fuck, Kara? I have been looking for you all night.” His frame lurched under the giddiness of the alcohol. He caught himself, and lifted his chest. He towered over Kara’s small frame. Kara said nothing, and kept walking. Lena felt Kara’s warm hand on her wrist. Kara’s grip was firm as she pulled Lena closer to her side, as if to keep herself between Lena and Mon-El.   
“I’ve been trying to think about all the reasons you might have left me,” he slurred loudly, his weight suddenly too close to Kara’s tense frame. She kept walking.   
“There’s another guy, isn’t there?” Lena felt Kara pull her closer again, holding tightly.   
“There must be.” Lena could smell his sweet, stale breath heaving across her face.  
“You fucking slut,” he spat viciously. Kara’s jaw locked tightly together. Lena’s heart was thumping desperately in her chest. She glanced around for somewhere she could run to before he would catch her. There was nothing. 

Suddenly, Mon-El’s eyes widened. His body lurched forward. Lena tensed fearfully. But he kept going, his body buckling forward at the abdomen. Vomit sprayed violently from his mouth. It splashed forcefully across the concrete and across Lena and Kara’s shoes. He gagged and coughed. More vomit poured forward. Kara tugged Lena forward urgently, and they raced away from the heaving figure bent over in the quad. 

*

Kara and Lena sprinted up the stairs of their dormitory, taking the stairs two or three at a time. They barrelled loudly through the landing door.  
“Come to my room,” Lena panted between gasping breaths. “He won’t find you if he comes looking, he doesn’t know where my room is.”   
Kara glanced at Lena, searching her face. “Okay,” she nodded quickly, barely out of breath. The pair rushed down the corridor. Lena fumbled with the key, glancing anxiously over her shoulder. They burst into the room and Lena flung the door closed behind them. She slammed the lock into place. Then she froze, suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. Kara turned to see what had stopped her.  
“Oh, Lena, I’m so sorry!” Kara gushed, seeing tears begin to roll down Lena’s face. Kara’s face twisted in anguish at the sight. “What an absolute prick. I’m sorry you had to be there for that.”   
Lena just stared back, streams of tears running down her face. Kara watched her, desperate to stop the tears.  
“We should call the police,” Lena said suddenly, her lower jaw jutting forward in anger. “He can’t get away with this. How dare he threaten you like that!” Lena looked at Kara, her voice firm. Kara dropped her gaze to the floor, shaking her head slowly.  
“I don’t want it to turn into a big deal,” Kara said softly.  
“Well he made it a big deal! We literally had to run for our lives!” Lena’s voice was growing shriller as she grew more livid, more exasperated. Kara’s expression fell.  
“Please. I just want to get this vomit off my shoes and pretend it never happened.”  
Lena scanned Kara’s face. She looked jaded, but not afraid. Kara smiled softly at Lena. Lena could feel her own rage loosening in her jaw.  
“Would it be okay if I borrowed your shower?” asked Kara.  
“Of course,” said Lena, watching Kara’s body language carefully for any signs of fear. “Towels are in the cupboard.”

*

Kara emerged shyly from the bathroom, wrapped in a thick brown towel. Her long, wet hair clung to her bare shoulders. Lena, who had been scrolling through social media feeds on her laptop, stood up hurriedly. Her cheeks blushed the slightest hint of red at the sight of Kara in the towel.   
“Feel a bit better?” Lena asked, her eyes darting around nervously, unsure where to look.  
“Yes,” smiled Kara softly, “thank you.”  
“I wasn’t sure what you might want to wear, so I got you out a few different options,” exclaimed Lena. She nodded toward the couch, where she had laid out several pairs of sweat pants, jeans, a long skirt, two big hoodies, fluffy pyjamas printed with sheep, and at least ten shirts. Kara gaped at the selection, making Lena blush violently red.   
“I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable,” said Lena shyly.  
“You know, I had totally picked you as a onesie kinda person,” teased Kara gently, glancing at the pyjamas.  
Lena laughed. “I thought the sheep would be embarrassing enough so I didn’t get them out.”  
“Them? As in, more than one?” smirked Kara. “Yes please.”

*

Ten minutes later, Lena emerged from the bathroom, also freshly showered. Her vivid orange giraffe onesie was a stark contrast to her usual outfits. Kara, who was perched shyly on the couch in a pink and white unicorn onesie, began to giggle at the sight of it all.  
“You look amazing!” Kara laughed. Lena smiled broadly.   
“Okay, what can I get you? I don’t have coffee, but I can offer you fruit tea or a hot chocolate? Or water,” said Lena quickly, turning the attention away from herself.  
Kara seemed too overwhelmed to answer. She watched Lena with wide eyes.  
“Or we can have nothing? That’s okay, too,” tried Lena.  
“Thank you,” blurted Kara suddenly. “I really appreciate you going to all this effort.”  
“Honestly, Kara, it’s not any effort. I just thought you might like to have some time to chill out.”  
“Yeah,” said Kara, watching Lena with wide eyes, “it’s lovely. Thank you.”  
“So, what can I get you?”  
“Fruit tea sounds great. Please.”

*

Lena padded back into the living room with two steaming mugs clasped in her hands. Kara sat cross-legged on the couch, Lena’s laptop perched on her lap. Her face was crumpled in frustration.  
“This is awful!” cried Kara, noticing Lena enter. Lena nodded nonchalantly and set Kara’s tea down on the table before her.  
“And today is one of the good days,” said Lena as she settled onto the couch beside Kara. She had already checked the daily update of #lenaluthor Instagram posts. There were a few from the talk at the feminist club. Mostly they were of her far away across a corridor or the quad. They could have been anyone, but Lena knew they were all her. They always were. She didn’t want to see it all again.

After a few moments of horrified scrolling, Kara thrust the laptop back towards Lena.  
“I’m so sorry,” said Kara dejectedly.  
“It’s no big deal, honestly,” said Lena, taking the laptop and closing the lid quickly. The vigour with which she closed it gave her away, though. Kara, concern still etched into her features, reached forward to take a little notepad from the table.   
“Shall we start then?”  
“Yes please,” said Lena hurriedly, fully aware of not wanting to give away any of her other emotions. She pressed a smile to her lips and turned towards Kara.  
Kara smiled warmly, a giggle playing behind her eyes. “Okay, name?  
Lena laughed heartily. “Lena Barbara Luthor,” she chuckled. “Same middle name as my dead Dad’s mother.”  
“It’s lovely,” enthused Kara. “And you’re a junior? In Fine Arts.”  
Lena nodded.  
“Excellent,” said Kara as she pencilled a few notes on her notepad. “Okay, the first question is: what did ten-year-old Lena want to be when she grew up?”  
Lena paused for a moment. She directed her gaze to the floor, to the left, searching her memory. The answer seemed to hit her all at once.  
“Oh no,” she laughed, “it was bad. It was really bad.”  
“How bad?” quizzed Kara playfully.  
“I wanted to own a garlic bread factory,” Lena sighed, taking in Kara’s giggles graciously. Kara glanced at Lena with her eyebrows raised.   
“I really liked garlic bread,” Lena answered, “and I thought that if I had a factory of it, I could eat it all the time.”  
“That is amazing,” laughed Kara, beaming at Lena. “That is maybe the best answer I have ever heard.”  
“What did ten-year-old Kara want to be?” asked Lena.   
Kara seemed to startle. “I don’t – I’m supposed to be asking the questions,” she said playfully, a look of appreciation sweeping across her face. Lena smiled warmly at the sight of it.   
“I wanted to be Mia Hamm, the soccer player?” said Kara after a pause. “But turns out sport was never really going to be my thing.” Kara blushed slightly, glancing down at the page.   
Lena laughed. “Sport was never really my thing either,” reassured Lena. A moment of sadness seemed to pass across Kara’s eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it had come. Lena was not even sure she had read it right.  
“Ok, and who inspires you?” asked Kara warmly.  
Lena paused for a long time. “Ghada Amer,” she said finally. She was met with a blank look from Kara. “She is a painter. But she is so against the domination of men in painting over history that she paints by sewing. She’s incredible. Her paintings are pretty much all about gender.”  
“I will have to look her up,” mused Kara, watching Lena in awe.  
“Definitely. How about you, who inspires you?”  
“My sister,” Kara said almost at once. “She’s so driven and kind and clever. And she always looks after me,” she beamed.   
“Alex, right?” said Lena.  
Kara stopped, and glanced at Lena. “How did you – did you look me up on the internet, Lena Barbara Luthor?” she laughed. Lena nodded shyly, laughing.  
“Trying to suss me out before the meeting, huh?” said Kara.  
“As soon as the protests started,” said Lena quickly, glancing in embarrassment at the floor, “I wanted to know as much as I could, so I could try and predict how it would all go. Stay out of the way and all that.”  
“I see,” smiled Kara, an impressed look in her eye. “Very sensible.”  
“Alex runs the queer group, right?”  
“Right.”  
“I saw that you two were pretty close and figured everything would be alright with the protests. Nothing mean.”  
Kara watched Lena in wonder and sighed, smiling.  
“I haven’t quite figured you out yet, Lena Barbara Luthor,” Kara narrowed her eyes in mock investigation, “but I can see that you are pretty damn clever.”  
Lena blushed, looking down at the couch. Her giraffe hood fell down over her eyes, making Kara giggle softly.

*

“Okay, final question,” said Kara, her soft eyes glancing up from her notepad. “What’s the one thing people always misunderstand about you?”  
There was a pause, and then Lena began to laugh. She shook her head at the absurdity of the question.  
“Do you ask all your interviewees that question?” she chuckled.  
Kara smiled back. “Actually, yes,” she boasted, “but most people don’t really have much to talk about for that one.”  
“Lucky them,” hummed Lena, still chuckling quietly to herself. Kara waited quietly, her pen ready.  
“Well, I guess I would say that everyone thinks that I am like Lex. Or like my parents. Nobody really seems to believe that there could be a feminist in a family like ours.”  
Kara scribbled Lena’s statement down quickly. She missed Lena’s face fall and her jaw lock tightly. When Kara looked back up to Lena, Lena was gazing, crestfallen, at the cold wooden floor.  
“Lena,” said Kara, catching her attention, “thank you for doing this for me. It’s going to be a really cool article.”   
Lena smiled sadly at Kara. “Oh, it’s no problem at all. After all, what are friends for?” said Lena, watching Kara for any sign of a flinch at the word ‘friend’. Perhaps it was a bit soon for the f-word. She panicked. But Kara smiled widely at the gesture, and Lena breathed out in relief.   
“I guess I’m just worried that even this won’t work, and the whole campus will just continue to hate me forever,” said Lena.  
Kara’s worried expression softened. “Not the whole campus,” she said cheekily, “because I think you’re great.” Lena’s face flickered into a smile as her heart skipped a beat.

*

The two women had been deep in conversation for some time. Their tea had been long since drunk, and they sat facing each other on the couch. Lena had her bare toes curled underneath her, hidden from the cold. Over time, Kara had relaxed much more readily into the cushions. Lena was the first to notice the time.  
“It’s 11pm,” she exclaimed, “how on earth did that happen?” She glanced at Kara, her puppy dog eyes watching Lena fearfully.  
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have kept you so long,” said Lena quickly. “I just have a way of chattering on forever.”  
“Oh, no!” protested Kara, “to be honest, I wish we were still chattering away.”  
Startled by the statement, Lena glanced at Kara. Kara’s expression seemed to be morphing into a mixture of upset and afraid.  
“Are you okay, Kara?” asked Lena. “You look a little sick all of a sudden.”  
“I, um, yes, sorry, I’m fine,” said Kara. She scrambled up off the couch, glancing around for her things and avoiding Lena’s gaze. Lena stood as well, unsure of what to do but desperate to ease the tension in the air. Kara hurried towards the door without once meeting Lena’s eye.  
“Kara?” said Lena softly. Kara turned back to face Lena quickly. Lena said nothing, and eventually Kara raised her eyes to meet Lena’s. Lena saw a single tear track down Kara’s cheek.  
“It would be totally fine if you wanted to stay here instead,” offered Lena shyly, “to avoid Mon-El?”  
Relief washed over Kara’s features almost immediately, her shoulders rolling backward ever so slightly. Then she noticed, and quickly attempted to cover it up.  
“Are you sure that would be okay? I really do not want to impose. I feel like I have already taken up so much of your time and you have – ”  
“Really, Kara,” Lena interrupted gently, “of course you can stay here. I would love that.” Lena felt her cheeks flush brilliantly red. I would love that? Who says that? She mentally kicked herself, glancing at the floor to hide her bright cheeks. But Kara’s relief was visible, and she danced back over to the couch, still snuggled up in her unicorn onesie.  
“Thank you so much,” she breathed as she passed Lena. Lena’s heart felt light. 

*

“How about Xena?” said Kara eagerly, glancing at Lena. Lena shrugged at her, watching blankly.  
“WHAT?!” cried Kara, “You haven’t heard of Xena?!”  
“I’ve heard of it,” defended Lena weakly.  
“Okay, who is the lead actress?” pressed Kara. Lena searched Kara’s expression, and then gave in with a little laugh.  
“I have no idea,” she admitted, watching the mock horror spread across Kara’s face. Shaking her head, Kara turned back to the laptop on her knee and began to hunt down the TV show.

Lena liked the show. She watched eagerly, absorbing the plot points and characters. She made sure to ask a question here or there to communicate her interest to Kara. Kara, completely engrossed in the story despite knowing many of the lines, happily rattled off answers to anything Lena could think up. But after a while, Lena began to lose focus. She could feel sleep weighing on her eyelids, and her mind wandered to all of the study she really should have been doing. She glanced over at Kara. Kara was leaning towards the screen, soaking everything in as she mouthed the lines. Her hair had dried in soft, scrunchy curls right across her back. Lena could feel her heart fluttering softly in awe.  
Kara glanced back at Lena.  
“Are you okay, Lena? Your breathing changed all of a sudden,” said Kara. Lena’s cheeks grew hot. She hoped the darkness would hide it from Kara.   
“Oh, really?” Lena replied, “weird. I feel fine.”  
“Okay,” smiled Kara softly. She turned back to the show.  
Lena could feel herself beginning to drift out. She closed her eyes and let her muscles settle deeply into the sofa cushions. With closed eyes, Lena never saw the slightly flustered glances Kara was making at her out of the corner of her eye. As she fell asleep, she thought she felt soft fingers running gently through her hair, but she could not tell what was reality and what was her dream any more. 

*

Lena woke the next morning to find herself tucked neatly into her own bed. The meagre, grey sunshine eased through the gap in the curtains and stung her sleepy eyes. Slightly tangled in her giraffe onesie, she eased herself out of bed and padded into the living room. The couch cushions had been neatly rearranged, and there was a note tucked under Lena’s favourite mug, still on the coffee table.  
“Thank you for everything,” it said in neat, tiny handwriting. Kara was nowhere to be seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the gay in the next chapter.


	6. January

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, some angsty feelings.

January dawned as grey as ever, and the entire campus seemed to be huddled against the weather. Early one morning, as Lena was scrolling through Lex’s Instagram and wishing she was in Spain, her computer pinged with a new email. Her exam grades were back. Careful not to splash her tea in anticipation, she clicked straight to the results. A+ in her electives. She sighed in relief. But then her heart soared. She had been given an A+ in her studio class. Nobody ever got an A+ in Bailey’s class. He hated everything. 

She grabbed her phone and messaged Lexa. Lexa responded almost immediately with several exclamation marks and some gifs of confetti. Lena laughed. She asked Lexa how she was, but Lexa was gone again. Lena waited for a while, her heart sinking with each minute. She wondered if it would be appropriate to message Kara. She hadn’t seen her since the night of the feminist club. She decided not to. 

But then almost immediately, she couldn’t help herself, and she pulled her phone from her pocket. She sent an emoji. She asked how Kara’s exams had gone. She mentally thanked herself for playing it cool, and watched the screen for a while to see if Kara was there. There was no answer, not even by the next week. She tried not to focus on it too much.

Halfway through the month, Lena’s article came out in the National News. It featured a stunning, full-page photograph of Lena laughing. She hated the way her teeth stuck out like that when she laughed, but even she had to admit that she looked pretty good. Beside the photo was what could only be described as a glowing review. At one point, Kara had even written, “Lena’s fierce intelligence”. The whole thing was ridiculously kind, and flattering, and Lena beamed non-stop about it for at least two weeks.

**

Lena padded up the stairs from the gym complex, her swim bag draped across her shoulder. She was too embarrassed to wrap her towel around her hair in public. Now that the new semester was well underway, the most recent wave of Instagram photos seemed to have died off, but she could never be too sure. Plus, her towel had a huge picture of Hannah Montana on it from when she was little. She would die if someone caught her with it on her head. Instead, her long, straight hair hung damply down her back, dripping a small puddle onto her coat. It made her head shivery in the thin winter air. She zipped her jacket up around her neck and picked up her pace across the quad.

“Oi!” came a faint call from the darkness. Lena stiffened immediately, her head spinning in all directions to see where it came from.  
“Pssst!” It sounded like it was coming from the bushes far across the quad to her left. She stared at them, hoping it was not Mon-El again. Her heart was pounding in her chest.  
“Lena!” called the voice.  
“Who’s there?” Lena called, willing her voice not to shake. She considered turning and sprinting for the dorm. She might still make it. She squinted into the pitch-black night.  
“It’s me!” said the voice. It sounded deep. Gravelly. She couldn’t place it. She stared toward it, but they didn’t say anything more. Then she scattered, pounding towards the dormitory. Her wet hair beat a rhythm against her back as she ran, but she was too spooked to notice.

“Lena, wait!” The voice was suddenly much closer. Lena glanced to her right and just about stumbled over in fright. It was Kara.  
“Kara, what the fuck!” Lena gathered herself quickly. Kara lingered in the tall shadow of the dormitory, her face dark.  
“Lena,” Kara said. She sounded breathless. “Please, I have to show you something.”  
A look of worry shot across Lena’s face.  
“Kara, are you okay?”  
“Just meet me at the soccer field bleachers in ten minutes.”  
“Sure, can I just dry my hair first?” asked Lena, but when she looked over, Kara was gone.

Lena strode quickly back to the dorm, more out of fright than anything else. She slammed the key into the lock and swung quickly into the room. She dumped her bag in the doorway and extracted the damp Hannah Montana towel. She rubbed it into her hair vigorously, fretting. What the fuck was going on? Was Kara in trouble? She was acting so weird, and after not being anywhere for like two months. But then were they even friends? Was it actually even weird not to see each other? Lena flicked her hair up and over her head and rubbed at it again, dangling the damp locks toward the floor. She considered going for the hairdryer. Then she thought about Kara’s breathless voice, and a thought hit her as panic took over. What if it was Mon-El? What if he finally got her? That would be a great reason to stand all weirdly in the shadows like that, right? She would fucking kill him. Unable to contain herself, Lena flung the towel to the floor and scrambled around for a beanie. She pulled it on crookedly and hurried out the door.

The bleachers were hidden deep in the darkness, straight across the soccer field from the quad. Lena scanned the area nervously, her senses desperate in the darkness. Tall floodlights stood, switched off, in each corner of the gently rolled grass. Lena could only just make out their tall frames through the night, so she was convinced she was about to get jumped at any moment. She clambered onto the first row of the bleachers, and glanced around anxiously.

“Kara?” Lena called, softly, as if unsure whether calling out would give her position away to monsters in the night. With a gentle thud, she felt another body settle onto the bleachers beside her. She recognised the smell at once, the gentle scent of floral washing powder and dew.  
“Thanks, Lena,” Kara said, barely above a whisper. Lena turned slowly to face Kara, but she couldn’t see much in the dark. Without thinking, she reached out for Kara’s face. She ran her hands gently over Kara’s cheeks, feeling for cuts. Kara’s skin was soft, unblemished, but she wasn’t wearing her glasses. Suddenly, Lena realised what she was doing, and drew her hands away sharply. She heard Kara’s gentle laugh, and relaxed into the embarrassment.  
“What are you doing, Lena?”   
“Sorry, I was just – I wondered if – I wanted to check your – I thought maybe Mon-El had finally got you, or something,” Lena felt ridiculous admitting her fears out loud.   
“Oh,” said Kara. Then she paused. Eventually, she said, “sorry to scare you like that.”  
“You sounded so worried,” said Lena quickly. Her Irish accent, which didn’t surface much anymore, rang out in each syllable.  
“You’re right. But no, I was just worried about being seen.”  
“Seen?”  
“I don’t want anyone else to know about this, Lena,” said Kara, dancing around the question. “We’ll just have to wait until the moonlight comes back through and you can see a little more.”  
Lena was not having a bar of it.  
“What is going on, Kara? Can’t you just tell me what’s up? Why do I have to see –”. At that moment, the moonlight broke back through the patchy cloud cover overhead. Lena had been right. Kara was not wearing her glasses. Or anything else she normally wore. She was wearing tight gym clothes. Lena had never seen Kara anywhere near any gyms before. Lena was suddenly very aware of the shape and definition of Kara’s muscles, the clothing suction tight against her body. Lena swallowed loudly and dropped her gaze almost immediately.   
“You brought me out here to show me your new outfit?”  
Kara smiled ever so subtly, and took off flying from her seat on the bleachers. Lena cursed loudly, her eyes wide with shock at the sudden movement. Kara was flying. She picked up speed and seemed to disappear for a moment, and then screeched to a stop right in front of Lena. She hovered just above the ground.  
“You’re a Super,” Lena said. Kara nodded softly. She gazed at Lena, hanging on to her every syllable. Lena was quick to notice the desperation in Kara’s eyes.  
“That’s fuckin’ awesome!” Lena whooped, slipping again into her childhood accent. Kara’s face lit up like Christmas morning. Lena watched her closely.  
“Were you worried I would be afraid?” Lena asked gently, watching Kara hover in front of her.  
Kara shook her head, smiling, “Nah, I’ve seen you take on Mon-El.”  
Lena laughed.  
“I was worried you wouldn’t want to be friends with a Super, though.”  
“Um, that’s ridiculous,” said Lena, but she didn’t say anything else. She couldn’t think of anything reassuring enough.  
“Supers don’t need glasses, do they?” she said instead. Kara laughed.  
“No. No we don’t.”  
There was a long pause. Kara seemed to relax into the silence.  
“You know I have known for ages, right?” said Lena suddenly.  
Kara spluttered.

**

Lena lay back, and felt the cool steel of the stadium roof against her back. It was too cold up here to sit up against the wind. It was pretty cold lying on the dark steel, too. She rubbed her hands together, but it did little to warm her up. She remembered the feeling of Kara’s body against hers as she flew them to the roof a few minutes ago, and suddenly she was way too hot. She gazed up at the moon, hoping the light would go behind a cloud and her deep red blush would be absorbed into the black of the night.  
“I agonised over whether or not I should tell you!”  
Lena laughed and shrugged her shoulders. “You weren’t scared of Mon-El,” she said, as if that would explain everything.  
“Neither were you!” shrieked Kara, laughing.  
“I’m just daft when I’m angry,” Lena smiled teasingly. Kara scowled playfully.  
“Really, though?”  
Lena turned her head to look at Kara. Kara looked powerful in her suit, the moonlight rippling across her muscles. Her expression looked vulnerable.  
“Well, there was that time you were crashing around in your room real loudly. Practicing, you said. That was weird. And every time you got really upset about something that was happening to me, your eyes would kind of do this glowing scowl thing. I can’t really explain it.”  
“That’s it?”  
Lena paused, then said, “you remember when I came to the feminist night to do the talk?”  
“Mmhmm,” said Kara.  
“I was so nervous at the start. I thought everyone was going to spit on me. And you – you touched my arm in this lovely, kinda reassuring way.”  
“Mmhmm,” said Kara again, “I remember.”  
“After you did it, you floated a tiny bit off the ground.”  
“Oh,” said Kara deeply, pausing. “Shit.”  
“I don’t think anyone else saw, though,” Lena said quickly. Kara did not respond. Lena rolled onto her side to face Kara. Kara was blushing bright red. Lena could see it even in the moonlight. Kara rolled onto her side to face Lena and met her eye.   
“And what did you think of it all?” said Kara, barely above a whisper. The air between them hung still.   
“It took me a bit to realise what it meant, actually,” said Lena softly. Her heart was racing. She wondered suddenly if Kara would be able to hear it, and blushed deeply at the thought. She had read a lot about Supers online after that day.   
“What else could it have meant? Do people often fly around you?” Kara joked.   
Lena paused, and considered whether she was going to say it. There was a long silence. She was sure she could even hear her own heartbeat by this point. She chickened out.  
“Does this mean you have got supersonic hearing?” she asked instead.   
“I can hear your heart racing, if that’s what you’re asking,” Kara laughed gently.  
“Great, perfect. Just what I needed. That’s real cool, Kara, thanks,” Lena teased. Kara giggled brightly.  
“What was it that made you decide to tell me?” asked Lena. She watched as another wave of embarrassment flooded Kara’s face.  
“You texted me in January.”  
“Mmmm?” prompted Lena.  
“I was excited that I had a message from you, so I whipped my phone out to check it halfway through a fight with this Super dude called Gazza down in Melbourne –”.  
“You were in Melbourne?” asked Lena quickly. Her heart was pounding with the thought of Kara being excited to get a message from her, and she was desperate to hide the noise from Kara.  
“I go all over the show. Anyway, he shot my phone out of my hand with his eye laser things before I could read it. And I didn’t want you to think that I had ignored it.”  
Lena started laughing, chuckles rolling up from deep in her belly. Kara couldn’t help but laugh, too, even though she wasn’t sure what they were laughing at.  
“I guess people usually just make up an excuse though, right?” Lena laughed. “Like whoops, I dropped my phone in the toilet, or something.”  
“I didn’t want to lie.”  
“So you decided to show me that you could fly?”  
Kara nodded shyly. Lena paused for a long time, watching Kara’s expression, her vulnerability.   
Lena took a deep breath. “When I saw you fly the first time,” she said, “at the feminist night, it took me a while to figure out that you would have accidentally taken off because of the feeling.”  
Lena watched Kara’s expression change. She seemed nervous all of a sudden.  
“I, no, I was probably just – I would have forgotten to concentrate for a second. It happens all the time.”  
Lena didn’t say anything. Her heart was thumping wildly in her chest, but she couldn’t back out now. Slowly, she reached across the small space between them. She slid her palm across Kara’s exposed cheek, cupping Kara’s face in her hand. Electricity shot through her arm at the touch. Her heart pounded. She could feel Kara melting into her hands, and that just made her feel even more electric. Kara lifted off the roof slightly, hovering, barely off the cold steel.  
“You did it when I touched your face on the bleachers, too,” Lena said softly. Kara snapped her eyes open, realising she was doing it again. She scrunched her face in concentration, and her body touched back down onto the cold steel. Lena withdrew her hand from Kara’s crimson face. Kara scanned both of Lena’s eyes, one by one, back and forth, searching.   
There was a long pause.  
“Lena,” Kara said carefully, “I like men.”  
Lena’s heart sunk at once. She felt waves of embarrassment washing across her. She dropped her gaze awkwardly and rolled onto her back to hide her look of utter disappointment.   
“Shit,” she said at once, “oh, Kara, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to –” she couldn’t finish her sentence. Kara, in a surge of wind, had bolted.

**  
Eventually, Kara had to come back and help Lena down from the roof. Lena and Kara both started speaking at once, and both blushed violet and averted their gazes when they realised the other was speaking.  
“You don’t have to apologise,” said Kara quickly. Lena opened her mouth, then closed it again, flustered. Then Kara said “I’m sorry that I took off. That was weird.”  
“Thanks,” Lena said. “For a minute there I thought I would have to try and figure out the number of this Gazza dude in Melbourne, get him up here to help out.”   
Kara laughed despite herself. Then, awkwardly, trying not to touch Lena anywhere but the outside of her legs, Kara scooped her off the roof and into her arms. Lena, clutched tightly to Kara’s chest, was trying desperately not to think about the firmness of Kara’s abs pressed into her side. Her heartbeat was almost certainly giving her away.  
“Oof, that’s high,” Lena said, as if to explain the heartbeat to Kara. Kara glanced at Lena, trying to work out how she was feeling. “But I trust you,” Lena added quickly. She immediately wished she hadn’t. Kara’s face twisted with what looked surprisingly close to pain. Lena kicked herself internally and swore off speaking for life.

Kara brought them gently to the ground. Lena looked up at her.  
“Thanks,” Lena said sincerely, “and I’m sorry for making it weird.”  
Kara said nothing. She also did not set Lena down on the ground. Lena watched her, waiting, but Kara just held Lena there against her chest.  
“Kara – what’s up? We’re on the ground?” Lena looked down at the ground as if to show her. They were near the ground, but Lena realised Kara was hovering, her toes just grazing the tops of the grass. Lena turned back to look at Kara. Kara’s eyes were glowing slightly, her expression conflicted. Then slowly, gently, Kara leant down and pressed her lips softly against Lena’s.


	7. February

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara talk about what happened, and things escalate pretty quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to change the rating from Mature to Explicit for this chapter, so maybe don't read it in public ...

It was Saturday. Lena was dressed in her lucky sweats, with some of the food stains now thankfully washed out. She flicked her hair out of the way, and pressed her headphones into her ears. Then she gathered her laptop and keys, and headed out the door.

Lena swung the door open, and jumped in fright. Standing in the doorway, clearly startled by the movement of the door, was Kara. Her fist was raised to knock. She dropped it immediately.  
“Kara!” said Lena.  
“Lena!” said Kara.  
Neither really knew what to say next.  
“I, um,” said Kara, “I wondered if you wanted to come over and watch Xena?”  
Lena was flustered. “I was actually just on my way to the library. I’ve got a big assignment due soon, I was going to work on that.”  
Kara searched Lena’s face for a fraction too long, frantically, as if she hadn’t planned for this possibility in the conversation.  
“But,” Lena said quickly, watching this unfold, “you know what, Xena does sound way better.”  
Kara flushed brilliant red, and nodded. “Are you sure?” she said quickly. “I would hate to interrupt.”  
“Yeah, I’m sure,” Lena said. She followed Kara to her door. 

The pair nestled on the couch, their hands clenched firmly around their teacups. There was at least a metre of space between them, their tense bodies pressed awkwardly against opposite ends of the couch.  
Lena glanced over at Kara.  
“Kara,” she said as the episode began to wrap up, “we should talk.”  
Kara nodded.  
Lena steeled herself.  
“I just, you told me you liked men,” said Lena. “And I was up there on the roof, trying to be cool with it and everything. But then –”she hesitated. Kara seemed to squirm a little at the directness of the conversation, but managed to look up and meet Lena’s gaze.  
“Yeah,” sighed Kara. “Yeah, I know.”  
Lena watched Kara expectantly as Kara tried to find the right words.  
“I thought I had it all under control,” said Kara.  
“All what?” said Lena.  
“Everything. The hearing. The super strength. I have gotten epically good at walking like a human,” she said. Lena laughed.  
“I could blend in just fine. And then you came along, and every time I touch you I fly without meaning to? And you were right, it’s because I’m happy. Every time I feel your skin on my skin, I feel giddy.”  
Lena was one hundred percent sure Kara would be able to hear her heartbeat now. Not that it mattered, as all the blood had rushed to her face.  
“Okay,” said Lena softly, “so what does that mean?”  
“I have no idea,” Kara said.  
Lena searched her face.  
“Something good,” Kara added after a pause.  
“Oh, good,” said Lena, very softly.  
“I can hear your heart,” said Kara. She was hovering just above the couch, but she hadn’t noticed.  
“Me too,” Lena retorted, “it’s like a fucking jumbo jet.”  
This made Kara laugh. Then Lena reached out and shyly looped some of her fingers through Kara’s.  
“You’re floating again. Come back down here,” said Lena. Kara glanced down.  
“See what I mean?” said Kara. “Giddy.”  
“We’re going to have to sort that out for you before someone notices,” laughed Lena. “Luckily for you I have got a really good idea.”  
Kara raised her eyebrows at Lena, but Lena had stopped talking. With a cheeky grin plastered across her face, she tugged gently on Kara’s hand. Kara touched down on the sofa, her side pressed right up against Lena. Both of them felt goosebumps prickle their skin where they touched. Then, Lena stretched toward Kara and pressed a tiny kiss to her lips. Kara’s legs began to float again, making Lena laugh against Kara’s mouth. Lena gave a small tug on Kara’s hand, and kissed her again softly.  
“You see,” said Lena, pausing, “if we can just get you used to the giddy feeling, maybe you will be able to get it under control.”  
Kara was too flustered to say anything witty. “Okay,” she breathed. Then she leaned into Lena’s lips again. And again. And again.

**

It was Monday before Lena emerged from Kara’s dorm room. She made Kara stick her head out of the door first to check that nobody was watching. Then she scooted out the door and away from the room quickly. She was dressed in a button up and jeans of Kara’s, her long hair pulled high in a messy bun. 

Once Lena had pushed through the stairwell door, Kara stuck her head out of the dorm room again, checking that nobody had noticed. Then she pushed her glasses up her nose, eased her way out of the door quietly, and pulled it locked behind her. She followed Lena to the stairs, several paces behind. They went down the steps like this just to be sure nobody would notice. Every so often Lena would glance behind her at Kara, then turn away with a brilliant, wide smile across her face. Then Kara would float a step or two before she managed to pull herself back to the ground.

At the bottom of the stairs, Kara bounded down to meet Lena. Lena giggled softly as she felt Kara’s fingers twist into hers. Lena pushed out of the double doors out into the bright sunshine, towing Kara along behind her. In a flash, Kara pulled Lena around the corner into a shadow behind a tall hedge. Lena yelped in delight as Kara scooped her into her arms and took off with a surge straight up into the air. 

Suddenly, they were on the roof of the stadium. Tucked safely in Kara’s arms, and far away from any rogue camera phones, Lena peppered Kara with gentle kisses all over her face and neck. Kara closed her eyes in happiness, and then curled down to meet Lena’s lips with hers. They sat there for a while, kissing slowly, with one of them invariably breaking out into a wide smile halfway through the kiss.  
“I’d better get to class,” said Lena, wiggling herself closer to Kara’s chest against the cold of the stadium roof. Then she kissed Kara a few more times.  
“I thought you said you had class,” Kara smiled.  
“It’s for hover power,” Lena grinned back. “So you have enough energy to get us to the ground, obviously.”  
Kara laughed. “It’s funny now,” she said, “but wait until I accidentally float out of my seat in class.”  
“It will be easy,” Lena said, a cheeky smile stretched across her lips, “just don’t think about this.” Then she pressed a soft, deep kiss against Kara’s lips. Kara sunk into the kiss with a loud sigh.  
“You’re right,” said Kara as Lena pulled away. “I would probably hit the ceiling before I realised.”  
With a soft squeeze of Lena’s thigh in warning, Kara got to her feet and shot back towards the shadow behind the dorm. Lena could feel her heart pounding heavily against Kara, and not from the height.

**

It was 8pm exactly. As promised, Lena was waiting on the lower row of the soccer bleachers, bathed in darkness. She was wearing a thick snow jacket, gloves, and a beanie of Kara’s with ‘National’ printed around it in big letters. The little black pompom shook gently in the breeze of Kara coming in to land beside her.  
“Hey,” breathed Kara warmly.  
“Hey there,” said Lena. She reached out for Kara’s hand, missed, and settled on her abs instead. Lena hummed happily as she pressed into Kara for a gentle kiss. Kara squirmed under the touch, giggling slightly. Lena’s eyes widened in sheer delight.  
“You’re ticklish!” she exclaimed.  
Kara scoffed, laughing. “No way,” she said quickly, “Supers can’t be ticklish.”  
“Right,” said Lena, her eyes alight. She rubbed her hand over Kara’s abs again, and felt Kara tense away from the contact. Kara squirmed, then caught Lena’s gleeful eye.  
“No way, no tickles here,” she gasped. Then, in an attempt to distract Lena from her new favourite game, she said, “whereabouts are you taking me?”  
Lena grinned back at Kara. “Head towards the beach.”  
Lena wrapped her arms tightly around Kara, and Kara shot into the air. In barely a moment, Kara pulled up, floating high above the ocean. Lena could hear the waves crashing far below them. She tugged at her hat, making sure it was tight down over her head.  
“Now where?” said Kara.  
“Is there anyone on that cliff over there?” said Lena, pointing at a tall cliff about three hundred metres away, to the right. Kara scanned the spot for a moment.  
“It looks clear,” she said.  
“Okay cool, that’s where we’re going,” said Lena, watching Kara squint off into the distance. She smiled warmly at her expression. Kara swooped down toward the cliff, a little more slowly than their trip from campus. Lena could feel the salt in the breeze as the air rushed past her face. Kara touched them down gently in the long grass.  
“Thank you,” said Lena softly, watching Kara’s face. Kara smiled, and set Lena down on her feet with a small kiss to the top of her head.

Lena set to work unpacking her backpack. She handed Kara a small picnic blanket to lay out. She pulled out four filled bagels wrapped in wax paper, and a small bottle of apple juice that was still foggy on the outside of the bottle from the cold of the fridge. They settled down onto the picnic blanket, tucked tightly against each other. Lena handed three of the bagels to Kara. Kara peered at her in surprise.  
“Two each?” said Kara softly.  
“No, please, I only want one. I only brought this many so you could have enough to eat.”  
Kara stammered, then decided not to argue with a fiery ex-Irishwoman. Not tonight, anyway.  
“Thank you,” she breathed, which made Lena beam. They unwrapped their wax papers and snuggled closer together.

Beneath them, waves crashed heavily against the thin shore of pebbles at the base of the cliff. Far out across the harbour was National City, glowing with electricity against the dark of the night. It was breathtaking. Lena pointed out at the view.  
“I used to come up here when I first moved to National City,” she said. Kara watched her kindly, her eyes following Lena’s lips as they rose and fell. “It was always Lexa’s date spot. She showed me where it was when I asked her for advice on men.”  
Kara laughed.  
“Exactly,” said Lena. “It turned out this spot was not what I needed. But after that, whenever I knew she wasn’t up here having slimy sex at the edge of the cliff, I would come up here for a break.”  
“Did you bring me up here for slimy sex, is that it?” laughed Kara.  
Lena blushed.  
“No,” she said quickly, “I brought you up here to show you my favourite spot.” But something lingered in the air behind her answer. Not meeting Kara’s eye, Lena unscrewed the juice and took a long swig.  
“Oh my god,” said Kara, “you brought me up here to have slimy sex!”  
“I mean –” began Lena, before she burst out laughing. “Yeah. Yeah I did.” She took another long swig of the juice. Kara laughed loudly and concentrated on staying on the ground.  
“But not really,” Lena added, her laughs slowing. “I mean, no expectations. I just wanted somewhere I could be close to you and nobody would find us. Any kind of close, really.”  
“Of course, I forgot you were a badass, consent-loving heroine.”  
“You got it,” Lena laughed. Kara unwrapped her third bagel and nuzzled closer into Lena. Lena kissed Kara tenderly on the head.

**

With the bagel wrappers and empty juice bottle tucked safely away in Lena’s backpack, the pair lay on their backs, their legs tangled together. Kara pointed out several different constellations and talked and talked about the history of each one. She talked about some of the physics that happened in stars. She also talked about her home planet, and how she had ended up on Earth. Lena listened closely, and asked lots of questions.  
“But if your cousin is here,” asked Lena after one story, “wouldn’t they know more about what happened?”  
“Yeah, I think they would,” Kara said, “but I haven’t found them yet.”  
“Ah,” said Lena, rolling onto her side to face Kara. “A spanner in the works.”  
“Yeah, I think I will just have to wait until they show themselves somehow.”  
“So you might never find them?”  
Kara smiled, and rolled onto her side to face Lena, “I might never know why I’m here.” Then she smiled broadly, “just like you lot, really.”  
“Us lot?!” laughed Lena broadly. “That is it.” She reached forward sharply and danced her fingers quickly across Kara’s stomach. Kara shrieked and drew back. Lena cackled and chased after her with tickles, quickly rolling on top of Kara in order to pin her down. Kara could have easily lifted Lena off with one arm. But she lay there squirming and shrieking with laughter, attempting to bat Lena’s hands away with what seemed like human strength. Straddling her, Lena was also giggling loudly, leaning forward to get the best angles of attack.

Suddenly, Kara stopped giggling just enough to stretch her neck upwards. Her face was centimetres from Lena’s. Lena stopped laughing, her gaze falling quickly to Kara’s lips. Kara drew breath sharply as Lena closed the gap, nuzzling her nose against Kara’s cheek, searching for her lips. Kara responded quickly, her lips parted, her breathing quick. She pressed her lips back into Lena’s, and felt Lena’s whole body soften above her. The kissing got stronger, faster, more desperate. Lena felt Kara’s lips open, and their tongues danced together softly. Lena could feel Kara’s body begin to float beneath her, her own weight unsettled by the move.  
“Kara,” she said softly, “concentrate.”  
Kara held the kiss, but Lena felt them settle gently back down onto the picnic blanket. Impressed, Lena leaned in gently for more kisses, Kara’s tongue flicking deftly against hers.

“Can I touch your stomach?” Lena asked between kisses.  
Kara, who was now breathing heavily, nodded. “Press hard,” Kara said quickly, “Or it’ll tickle.”  
Lena, still straddling Kara, pulled off her glove and ran her hand under Kara’s shirt. She could feel Kara begin to squirm, so she pressed harder, massaging the hard muscles up and down her abdomen. Kara’s eyelids fluttered against Lena’s cheek, and a tiny moan escaped her lips. Lena smiled against Kara’s mouth at the sound.

“Can I touch your breasts?” asked Lena. Kara nodded enthusiastically, and moaned again as Lena’s hand slid further up under her shirt.  
“Harder,” said Kara. Lena pressed her palm on top of Kara’s bra, and rolled her hand firmly across where Kara’s nipple was. Kara gasped almost inaudibly, and drew Lena in for a deeper, harder kiss, her tongue searching desperately for Lena’s.  
“Just like that,” Kara breathed into the kiss. Lena smirked proudly, and dragged her hand across to Kara’s other breast.

Kara began to rock her hips against Lena’s weight. Lena felt her stomach flip.  
“Do you want me to touch you?” Lena asked quickly. Kara moaned a yes between kisses. Lena slipped her hand from under Kara’s shirt, and reached for Kara’s belt. Lena sat up, leaving Kara to trail after her lips in desire. Lena could see Kara’s eyes simmering. She felt another deep surge of attraction. She fumbled with Kara’s belt quickly, pushing the belt buckle off the dome of Kara’s jeans so she could pop them open. Lena drew Kara’s fly down quickly, and leaned forward to meet her kisses once more. At that angle, she could slip her hand easily into the front of Kara’s jeans. 

Kara moaned and rocked her hips forward into Lena’s touch. Lena ran her hand under the front of Kara’s now-damp underwear. She traced her finger slowly down the middle of her labia. When she heard Kara’s moans of ‘right there’, she stopped, running her finger softly back and forth across the same spot. Kara leaned into the kisses, her eyes rolled deeply back into her head with pleasure. 

“Faster,” moaned Kara softly. Lena obliged, listening carefully as Kara began to draw breath sharply.  
“Lena, that feels amazing,” Kara breathed in Lena’s ear, “Don’t stop.” Lena could feel herself starting to breathe heavily, too, as she listened intently to Kara’s gentle moans. She focused on running her finger evenly across Kara’s clit, and on kissing her deeply. Against her lips, Lena could feel Kara’s breath shortening.  
“Oh, yeah,” whispered Kara in a deep moan, pressing her forehead firmly against Lena’s. “Holy crap.”

Lena felt Kara’s whole body go tense, and then start shuddering beneath her. A deep, throaty moan gargled from Kara’s throat as she shook beneath Lena’s gentle fingers. Kara’s back arched high off the blanket as she threw her head back with a gasp. Suddenly, Lena felt the ground slip away beneath her knees. With a small yelp, she thudded forward onto Kara’s body, no longer able to support her weight on the ground. Kara rocked against Lena’s hand, moaning, as Lena wrapped her legs tightly around Kara’s body. After a minute or two of shaking and moaning and leaning her hips into Lena’s hand, Kara’s breathing seemed to even out. She opened her eyes. 

“Oh fuck,” Kara said, realising they were floating half a metre above the ground. Lena grinned widely as she watched Kara come around. Kara scrunched her brow with concentration, and Lena felt them drifting back to the ground. As she felt Kara’s weight pressing on her legs, which were now wrapped beneath her so she wouldn’t fall off, she rolled sideways and pulled her legs free. With a sigh of deep satisfaction, both women flopped onto the blanket, side by side.  
“Shit, Lena,” Kara said softly. “You’re really good at that.”  
Lena hummed happily in response. 

With a quick whoosh of air, Kara rolled herself onto Lena, straddling her as Lena had straddled Kara earlier. Lena felt a surge in her gut.  
“Why, hello there,” Lena giggled softly. Kara pressed quick, happy kisses all over Lena’s face and neck. Lena squealed happily at the touch. Then Kara sunk firmly against Lena’s lips. Lena pressed passionately into the kiss.  
“How would you feel about me going down on you?” Kara asked, pausing to watch Lena’s reaction. Lena gasped, and grinned. “I would love that,” she breathed heavily. She searched Kara’s expression. “As long as you’re okay with it?”  
Kara smirked. “I would love to, you badass, consent-loving heroine.”  
Kara kissed Lena with deep admiration, then deftly undid her pants. Kara tugged each leg of Lena’s jeans down and off over her ankles, then followed suit with her black, lacy underwear. Lena moaned softly as Kara gently pressed Lena’s knees apart and began to kiss up the inside of one of her thighs. 

Suddenly, Kara dragged her tongue across Lena’s clit. She must have been able to see in the soft glow of the city light with her super-vision, because she went immediately for the best spot. Lena groaned in pleasure. Lena could hear Kara moaning softly into her, clearly enjoying herself. Lena’s arched her back and she leant her hips into Kara’s tongue.  
“That feels amazing,” Lena whispered throatily. Kara glanced up, meeting Lena’s eye as she flicked her tongue in a nimble rhythm across Lena’s clit. Lena sank into the feeling, moaning in pleasure. In less than two minutes, her breath caught heavily in her throat. She groaned loudly. She could feel Kara pick up the pace, and just the thought of it sent her barrelling over the edge of her orgasm. Her body tensed firmly against Kara’s mouth, rolling with the waves of pleasure racing through her. 

She groaned again, this time with content, and Kara eased back from her vulva with a wide grin across her face.  
“You’re pretty good at that, too,” Lena sighed blissfully.  
“I’m glad you had fun,” Kara smiled softly. She helped Lena back into her pants, and then snuggled up onto her chest. Lena closed her eyes in relaxation.  
“I feel amazing,” said Lena quietly. Kara murmured in agreement, soothed by the steady rhythm of Lena’s sleepy breaths. Before long, the pair were fast asleep in the glow of the city, bundled happily in each other’s arms.

**

Kara strolled out of the lab, chatting happily with a few of her classmates. Their group project for chemistry was due soon, but they had made good headway. One of the groupmates, laughing at an inside joke, asked if everyone wanted to go and get ramen. Before they could all agree, Kara looked up and saw Lena leaning against a pillar just outside the door to the science complex. 

“Excuse me for one second, team,” said Kara, flustered. She strode over to Lena quickly. Lena’s eyes lit up as she saw Kara. Kara couldn’t help but smile, despite the watchful gaze of her groupmates. Lena could see them all nudging each other.  
“Hi,” Kara breathed in surprise, “what are you doing here?”  
Lena laughed as one of the group mates pulled out their phone and began to line up a picture.  
“I’m here to see you, actually,” Lena beamed, making sure to enunciate loudly so Kara’s group would hear. It seemed to have the desired reaction. One of them whooped, and several phone cameras blinked. Kara blushed lightly, and laughed.  
“Oh, you are, are you?” Kara smiled softly, scanning Lena’s eyes for a hint of understanding.  
“LuthorCorp is hosting a party this weekend. It’s a gala fundraiser for the children’s hospital in Barcelona after that horrific attack on their new building.” Lena paused shyly, then drew a deep breath. “I was hoping you’d come.”  
“A gala?!” called one of her groupmates, “is that like a party?”  
“No,” said Kara quickly, “no, it’s not.” The group seemed to have edged closer somehow.  
Lena seemed to be enjoying the spotlight. “You are literally my only friend in National City.”  
Kara rolled her eyes at the joke. Friend. Good one.  
“Most people wouldn’t touch a Luthor with a ten-foot pole,” Lena continued, “it would mean a lot to me if you were there.”  
“Of course I’ll come,” Kara smiled, “I’m honoured.”  
Another group mate whooped.  
“I love parties,” one of the group said quickly, “can I come, too?”  
“No,” said Kara firmly. The rest of the group laughed. Lena smiled broadly.  
“Sounds great,” she said to Kara, and with a flirtatious smile, Lena turned to leave the building. Behind her, she could hear the excitement of Kara’s group echoing around the hallway. She smirked to herself as she pushed out through the double doors.


	8. March

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena takes Kara to Barcelona to a family function, and it goes about as well as you might expect.

Lena hopped into the passenger seat of Kara’s tiny, aging hatchback.  
“Got everything?” Kara asked her.  
“I think so,” said Lena.  
“Dress?”  
“If you mean pantsuit, then yes.”  
“Alright, jot that down, Kara,” Kara laughed. “Phone charger?”  
“I went over the list three times,” said Lena, smiling. “I think I’ve probably got everything.”  
“Do you remember if I packed pyjamas?” asked Kara suddenly. “I mean, I remember thinking about it, but did I actually do it?”  
Lena chuckled, and laced her fingers into Kara’s.  
“It’s going to be okay, love,” she clucked. “I used to take friends home all the time.”  
Kara nodded, but looked unconvinced.

**

Kara immediately understood Lena’s insistence on coming so early. As they stepped into the terminal, Kara could have sworn she heard the whole place gasp at once, followed by an outburst of excited whispering all around them. After two minutes, they were bombarded with cameras. People wanted selfies. People wanted autographs. One person asked if they could see Lena’s tits. The comment bounced off Lena, her jaw set sternly against the barrage, but it sunk deep under Kara’s skin. Before she could say anything, though, the person’s friend clapped them around the head and told them not to be a fucking creep. By the time they had finished at the check-in desk, there was a long line of people waiting to speak to Lena. Kara took it all in, bewildered. All around them, she could hear people calling Lena’s name, her full name, over and over. Lena pretended not to see any of it, her dark aviators hiding any expression, and went about her business. 

Thankfully, some of the airport security arrived to escort them to the travel lounge. Three big burly people surrounded them immediately, their fluro vests blocking the view of the fans gathering around. Some of them groaned audibly or jeered at the security.  
“Can I take your bag, ma’am?” said one of them to Kara, but she shook her head quickly. She was capable of carrying her little carry-on bag herself. Kara glanced at Lena. She still had her sunglasses on. Kara very much wished she had done the same. Cameras were still clicking around them as they were led up an escalator.  
“Right this way, Ms. Luthor,” said one of the vests.  
“Thank you, Tom,” said Lena warmly. Kara gawked. She didn’t realise Lena knew these people. They followed Tom into a huge, quiet wing of the airport. A small sign on the wall by the door said ‘First Class Lounge’. Tom held the door open for them.

There were only two other people inside the vast room. Both of them looked up as Kara and Lena entered, and neither batted an eyelid. Tom smiled at them from outside the door.  
“We will be out here if you need anything, Ms. Luthor,” they said. Lena nodded gratefully as Tom pulled the door closed.

“Holy shit,” said Kara at once.   
A smug little grin flashed across Lena’s face. “I mean, I tried to warn you.”  
Kara laughed, “yeah, and like a fool, I didn’t listen. Good thing you’re so stubborn.”  
Lena laughed back.   
“But also,” said Kara, lowering her voice, “first class?! Lena, I can’t – that’s enough to pay off my entire semester of loans!”  
Lena sighed, “it’s first class, or that –” she pointed to the door. “And also, I don’t know if you have noticed, but I’m really fucking loaded.” This made Kara snort with laughter. “But it’s okay, I’ve accepted that you’re only with me for my money.”  
Kara batted Lena for her cheeky remark. She glanced over her shoulder to see if the other two people were listening. Lena noticed, and felt a pang of guilt.  
“You’re right,” said Lena. “Sorry. I’ll be more careful.”  
Kara only nodded.  
“So,” said Lena, putting on a thick, posh English accent, “shall we to the caviar?”  
“There isn’t actually caviar, is there?” said Kara incredulously.   
“It’s first class, Kara,” said posh Lena, “of course there is caviar.”

**

Lena and the flight attendants all knew each other by name. They had a Sprite ready for her in a tall glass as Lena and Kara boarded.  
“And for you, Ms. Danvers?” one of them asked Kara. Kara glanced at Lena, flummoxed. Lena smiled.   
“Do you want a drink?” Lena asked Kara. Then Lena turned to the attendant, “Louise, this is my friend Kara. It’s her first time flying first class.”  
“I see,” smiled Louise kindly. “I was a bit overwhelmed my first time, too.”  
“Um,” said Kara, “I’ll have a Sprite too, if that’s okay?”   
“Coming right up,” said Louise, and they whirled away into the front of the cabin.  
“Holy shit,” said Kara. She reached for Lena’s hand, then thought better of it. Lena noticed out of the corner of her eye, and turned to smile gently at Kara.  
“Don’t worry,” said Lena, “the weekend will be over before you know it.”

**

The airport was heavy with air conditioning as they stepped from the plane. Kara glanced out at the sunshine streaming down onto the tarmac outside. It looked hot. Seven security personnel in discrete dark suits were waiting to greet them. They were escorted by a wall of muscle all the way through customs and the terminal and out into a sleek back town car with tinted windows. The driver shrieked in excitement when they saw Lena, and ran to hug her.  
“Pablo!” cried Lena, throwing her arms open to them. They pretended to kiss on the cheek five times on each side, then laughed to each other as though this was the funniest thing they could have done. Kara watched with puzzled delight at this bubbly version of Lena.  
“Cómo estás?” asked Lena. Pablo launched into a huge explanation of which Kara could not understand a word. Lena, however, clearly knew Spanish. Since when? Lena hummed and cried out at Pablo’s story as Pablo lifted Lena and Kara’s bags into the car. Then they opened the door for Lena and Kara. Lena stepped gracefully into the car in one sweeping motion like she had been doing it her whole life, but Kara had to do an awkward clamber. Pablo didn’t seem to judge. They eased the door shut behind Kara, and turned to wink at the suits. Several of them smiled and tried to hide it under their gruff expressions. 

**

As they hit a larger-looking road, Pablo and Lena wound down all of the windows and sang along loudly to Lady Gaga. The wind streamed through Lena’s long hair as she raised her face to the sky and belted the song out the window. It seemed like Pablo and Lena had probably done this before. They kept laughing at random parts of the songs and shrieking excitedly to each other, as if those lines held particular memories for them. Kara couldn’t help but grin as she watched this new Lena. She was gorgeous. Kara had never seen her so uninhibited. 

They went via a side road so that they could take Kara past the Arc de Triomf, Lena said. It was Pablo’s idea. They wound through the city for a while, and then Pablo gestured wildly towards the Arc as they passed. It looked nice. Pablo seemed desperate for Kara to love it, so she sang her praises loudly even when it was far behind them. Lena glanced at her apologetically.

They pulled up to the back of a towering apartment building. As soon as Pablo opened the door, Kara was hit by a wave of heat and the familiar smell of salt. The air was much more humid than at home. Kara was a bit more graceful out of the car this time, but not much. Pablo had extended their hand to help but Kara was insistent that she didn’t need it. Pablo smiled widely at Kara’s determination. Then Lena took Pablo’s hand softly and stepped out of the car like a supermodel. Kara actually glanced over her shoulder to check if there were any paparazzi, she was that good. 

The attendants in the lobby of the building also knew Lena by name. A few tourists in overly practical shorts whispered behind their hands and pointed at Lena, but Lena and Kara were whisked away quickly by one of the attendants. Kara was rolling a keycard around in her fingers. Pablo had given it to her moments before. Kara wondered what the wink had meant when they did it. 

They came to an elevator without a button. Lena and the attendant both paused for a moment, and then glanced expectantly at Kara’s hand.  
“Oh, right, sorry,” said Kara quickly. She waved the card over the reader at the base of the elevator and the little light went green. The elevator purred to life. Lena caught Kara’s eye and smiled. Kara hoped she managed to smile back okay. It was all very overwhelming. 

The elevator pinged softly, and the doors slid open. The attendant quickly scuttled to hoist their luggage into the lift for them, then looked at Lena expectantly.  
“Don’t worry, Maria, we’ll be fine with it.”  
“Of course, Lena,” said Maria quickly, with a hint of a bow.   
Kara, perplexed, watched Maria scurry away as she stepped into the elevator.  
“There’s no button,” said Kara, as she reached toward the front wall of the elevator where a button might have been.  
Lena smiled kindly at her. “It only goes to one floor.”  
Kara’s mockingly impressed whistle echoed softly out into the lobby as the doors glided shut.

Kara glanced at Lena, and stretched to find Lena’s hand to twist her fingers into. Lena beamed back at Kara, but withdrew her hand slightly.  
“Cameras,” Lena said quickly. “Sorry.”  
Kara glanced up at the ceiling.   
“But you’re doing amazing,” said Lena.  
“Thanks,” said Kara, sighing. She noticed the gruffness of her voice, and added, “you’re right, you’re really fucking rich.”  
Lena laughed gently, “I mean, I tried to warn you.”  
“Aye, lass, that you did,” said Kara.  
“Is that Irish?” Lena teased.  
“Um, could you not tell?” said Kara, laughing. “Obviously.”

“Holy shit,” said Kara promptly, as the door of the apartment swung open. Before them, the Mediterranean stretched out endlessly, its deep blue framed by floor-to-ceiling windows two storeys high at least. Warm springtime sunshine beamed in the windows, casting gentle patterns across the luxurious wicker sofas. Tall, leafy pot plants framed the minimalism perfectly. It was like an Instagram photo in real life. There was even a shag pile rug, for fuck’s sake. To the left, huge bifold glass doors were pulled open to reveal a large deck tiled in warm grey Italian marble, or something. Beyond the tile was an infinity pool, glittering in the mid-afternoon sun. An immense view of the city lay out beyond that. Some kind of salsa music hummed out softly from speakers that Kara could not even see.   
“Your bag,” said Lena quickly as Kara stepped from the elevator, too in awe to remember it. Kara scrambled for it quickly. 

A tall, slender figure appeared from around a thick marble corner. They had their hair pulled up into a sharp, professional bun. Kara had seen the look one hundred times before – on Lena. Their soft white sundress hung effortlessly across their tanned skin.  
“Girls!” The figure pulled Lena into a hug that seemed neither tight nor enveloping.  
“Hi, Mom,” said Lena.   
“And you must be Kara,” said Lillian Luthor, extending her hand regally to clutch Kara’s hand in a kind of shake only performed by elegant rich people. It had only one tiny shake movement. Lena smiled as she watched Kara overanalysing the situation.  
Kara collected her thoughts, and plastered a warm smile across her features quickly, “and you must be Lillian,” she said, matching Lillian’s shrill pitch, “Lena’s told me all about you!”  
“Oh, lord,” said Lillian, laughing, “don’t listen to a word she says.”  
Lena laughed at this, too.   
“Don’t worry, it was all lovely,” said Kara quickly.  
“Oh yes,” said Lillian, verbally rolling her eyes, “I’m sure it was.”  
Lena sighed a laugh, mostly at Kara’s innocence in the game of small talk with Lillian Luthor.  
“Where’s Lex?” asked Lena.  
“No idea,” said Lillian, “swanning around Valencia somewhere with his shirt off, I expect. He and Finn are coming in later on the Augusta with Lio.”  
Lena nodded. Kara nodded to be polite. She had no idea what an Augusta was. It sounded fancy, though. It probably wasn’t a bus.  
“Why don’t you two rest up a little after your flight,” said Lillian. “You can show Kara her room, Lena, and I’ll see you out in the hot tub soon – with mojitos. We have lots to catch up on.”  
“Sounds excellent,” said Lena. “See you soon.”  
Kara smiled widely at Lillian, then turned to follow Lena down the wide marble hallway.

The guest bedroom was just as ridiculous. It had a shower where the water just fell out of the ceiling like soft rain. A small car could have fit inside the bathtub. The view of the Mediterranean was just as brilliant here as in the lounge. If she went close enough to the window, Kara could look down on the soft sands of the beach just below them. She flopped down heavily into the super king bed, and the white silk sheets poofed slightly under her weight. Lena laughed at her expression, and flopped down beside her.  
“Who are you?” breathed Kara quietly. Lena smiled, and reached out to wrap her little finger around Kara’s.  
“Lena Barbara Luthor,” said Lena.  
“I know,” said Kara, “but I didn’t quite realise what that meant.” She paused. “Our kids are going to have the best summer holidays.”  
Lena laughed loudly. Then, full of admiration, she rolled closer to Kara and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. Kara melted into it as if the morning of avoiding affection had starved her.  
“You know,” said Kara, “Lillian didn’t seem that bad.”  
“Oh, hell,” said Lena at once, “don’t. She’s just playing nice because you’re here.”

Kara had to politely refuse the cocktail twice. Lillian continued to press.  
“Kara doesn’t drink, Mom,” said Lena firmly.   
“Alright, alright,” said Lillian. “More fun for us then, Lena.” Lillian set the glass back down on the tile deck.  
They all paused. Kara gazed out over the city and the ocean, still quite unable to believe where she was. She hoped her sunglasses hid her expression of constant awe to some degree.  
“So, Kara, tell me,” said Lillian after a while. Lena reached for her drink, pulling her hand from under the water with a splash. She seemed restless. Lillian hadn’t even asked yet. “Lena barely ever brings anyone to these parties. You must have done quite the thing to convince her?” Lillian took a small sip of her mojito. Kara ears flushed. She glanced at Lena, but Lena was gazing off into the distance with a firmly set jaw.  
“She’s been good to me, actually,” said Kara, “I broke up with my boyfriend about six months ago.”  
“Oh,” said Lillian, “your boyfriend.” She gave Lena a small look that Kara didn’t catch.  
“He wasn’t so happy about it,” continued Kara. “He used to come and yell outside my door for ages. Lena just lives a few doors down so she would have to hear the whole thing. She would come over to make sure I was okay, and it went from there, really.”  
“Ah yes, I know the type. They don’t get much better after college, either. How long were you with him for?”  
“Two years.”  
“That’s not easy.”  
“No,” Kara sighed.  
“Perhaps she might like Lex, Lena, what do you think?” said Lillian, turning to look at Lena. Lena’s expression did not betray her, but Kara could have sworn she saw her jaw stiffen. Just a fraction.  
“You know,” said Lillian, “get over one, under another.”  
Kara blushed scarlet.  
“Oh no,” Kara stuttered quickly, “thank you, but I’m just, uh, enjoying being single for a while, you know?”  
“It’s a shame, really,” continued Lillian, “I’m sure he’d be just your type.”  
“Oh please, Mom, you only just met her,” Lena scoffed, no longer able to resist the bait.  
“Hey now, even I can appreciate the beauty of a gorgeous young woman like Kara, Lena. They would look great on Instagram together, that’s for sure.”  
Kara blushed and gazed deeply into the foaming water as if hoping to be absorbed into it immediately. The silence was thick between them all.  
“And how is school going for you both?” Lillian asked eventually.  
“It’s school, you know,” said Lena, brushing off the question immediately.  
“Lena got an A+ on everything last semester,” said Kara protectively. “One of her professors called her work ‘worthy of an A+ in the Masters course’ and he usually gives everyone a C.”  
Lena showed no acknowledgement of the statement.  
“I see,” said Lillian. “Very well done.” She took a long swig of her cocktail.  
Lena did not respond.

**

Kara stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out the folds of her dress so they sat flat across her abdomen. She shuffled the slim belt around on her waist and settled it into place. The navy satin hung elegantly from her shoulder blades. Her soft blonde curls bounced neatly around her shoulders.   
There was a soft knock on the door.  
“Come in,” Kara called.  
The high door swung open.  
“Are you ready to go?” asked Lena, stepping around the large door in her equally large heels. Her mouth dropped open when she saw Kara.  
“You look … great,” said Lena quietly. Kara turned to face Lena, glancing at the floor bashfully. Lena’s long hair, parted to the side, hung in soft waves down one side of her face. Eyeliner framed her grey eyes, and her black strapless dress showed off her smooth, pale shoulders. Kara thought about stroking her fingers softly across Lena’s collarbones. It was tight, too, the dress. She looked really good.  
“So do you!” said Kara quickly. “Like a rich, sexy Goth.”  
Lena laughed loudly.   
“Is that good?”  
“Oh yeah,” said Kara, “ten out of ten, would dance under underpasses with.”  
Lena laughed, and strode over to Kara, smirking. Her heels clacked assertively.  
“Sexy, huh?” teased Lena, all of a sudden standing very close to Kara.  
“Uh, yeah,” said Kara, slightly flustered. “Although not in a pantsuit?”  
“Changed my mind. Figured I’d lure you in with my blinding white skin.”  
“Like a bee?” laughed Kara, now giddy because Lena was so close.  
“You mock,” said Lena with a raspy drawl, “but it appears to have worked.”  
Lena’s eyelids fluttered quickly as she glanced at Kara’s lips. Kara gasped a little. They leant towards each other, their lips almost touching, their noses nuzzling together softly.   
“Better not smudge my lip gloss,” said Lena, pulling away just as Kara committed to the kiss. She strode away smugly as Kara stumbled forward a little with the momentum.   
“Oof,” said Kara, gathering herself quickly. “Tease.”  
“Careful, your Super is showing,” Lena called as she left the room. Kara closed her eyes, feeling the fluttering of her heart as she played the moment over, hearing Lena’s breath so close. She sighed, and pushed the thought from her mind so she could concentrate on coming back to the ground. 

They were whisked out of the elevator by a very well-groomed person wearing a tuxedo and bowtie, and lead to a limousine idling just outside the door. Kara concentrated very hard on how Lena got into the car, and did her best to imitate it. A glass of bubbling champagne rested on the small fold-out table; Lillian swept it up immediately. She pursed her lips carefully to preserve her lipstick, and took a deep swig.   
“Thank you, Roberto,” said Lillian as the well-groomed driver slipped into the front seat. Roberto nodded slightly, and raised the screen between the rear and the driver’s seat. The car pulled gently away from the curb.  
Lillian gave Kara a long once-over.  
“Let me know if you change your mind about Lex, Kara,” she said. Kara laughed and blushed, and said nothing. Lillian turned to Lena.  
“I’ve invited John Spheer’s son,” said Lillian pointedly. Lena didn’t bite.  
“I hear he’s set to take over Biospheer late next year. Lio thinks he will be worth six billion dollars once he takes the job.”  
“Dad better watch out, someone might be richer than him,” quipped Lena quickly.   
Lillian laughed. “Not at only six billion.”  
Lena sighed deeply.

The party was in the large, open courtyard that was very clearly designed for weddings. Strings of lanterns were criss-crossed on high poles above the buffet tables. Thick groups of people in tuxedos and diamonds chatted against the warm night.   
Lex bounded up to them as soon as they entered.  
“Heya, Lennie,” he said, “how are you? Long time no see.”  
“Hey, Lex,” said Lena, clearly trying to ignore the nickname, “this is my friend, Kara. She lives down the hall from me in college.”  
“A college girl, eh?” said Lex cheekily.   
“Yeah, watch out, Mom’s being trying to set you up with her all night.”  
“I can see why,” he said, dragging his eyes up Kara’s body.  
Lena punched him in the shoulder. Hard. He grimaced, and pretended at once that he hadn’t.  
“Don’t be an asshole,” said Lena gruffly.  
“My pleasure,” said Lex, turning to Kara and offering a handshake. Kara squeezed it a little more tightly than she should have been able to. As she let go, Lex stretched out his fingers to ease the pain.  
“How was Valencia?” asked Kara. She hid her smirk carefully in a smile.  
“Yeah, great thanks. Multitudes of babes, everywhere we went.”  
“Manage to get enough shirtless selfies?” said Lena quickly.  
“Yes, actually. Thanks so much for asking.” Then he turned to Kara. “She just gets a little snarky when Jack Spheer’s around,” he said brightly, “but don’t worry, he shouldn’t be too much competition for someone as hot as you.”  
Lena said nothing, but her jaw locked in frustration. It was clearly enough of a reaction for Lex. He clapped his hands together gleefully.   
“Have a great night, Lennie,” he called as he bounded away.   
“I didn’t realise he was more of an asshole in real life,” said Kara as they watched him swing boisterously up to a small group of women across the lawn. “I can rough him up a bit if you like?”  
Lena laughed.  
“Then he would think I had feelings about the whole situation, and he would never let me live it down.”  
“That’s a shame,” said Kara, smiling. “Next time, then.”

“Ugh, here he comes,” said Lena suddenly. Kara, halfway through stuffing a club sandwich into her mouth, glanced around.  
“Who?”  
“Jack Spheer.”   
Kara searched Lena’s expression for a moment, but she gave nothing away.  
“Surely that’s not his real name,” said Kara.  
Lena laughed. “He’s a real creep. He always stands too close and kinda drools.”  
“Ugh,” said Kara knowingly.  
“Jack!” said Lena brightly as he approached. “Hi!”  
Jack smiled coyly and said nothing. Instead, he took Lena’s hand and bowed to kiss it, not taking his eyes off of her. Kara spluttered on her sandwich.  
“Hi,” Kara said quickly, “I’m Kara.” She extended her hand so he had to let go of Lena.  
“My pleasure,” Jack said smoothly, bending to kiss Kara’s hand instead. Kara leaned more and more weight into the handshake until Jack’s breath caught a little in his throat. When she let go, he quickly stuffed his hand into the pocket of his pants. Out of the corner of her eye, Kara could see Lena’s soft smirk flickering across her face.  
“So, Lena, how have you been? How is college treating you?”  
“It’s been fine, thank you. A lot of study, but I think it’s been worthwhile.”  
“She’s top of her class,” said Kara firmly.  
“Very impressive,” Jack said. “What is it you are studying again? Was it business?” He smiled slyly.  
Kara seemed to miss the subtext. “She’s studying art, actually,” she said with frustration. She knew how much expectation there had been on Lena to take over the company.  
“Indeed,” said Jack, smiling broadly at Kara. “Well, that is good to hear. And did you hear that I’m set to take over Biospheer later this year?”  
“Yes,” said Lena, “Mum told me almost as soon as I walked in the door.”  
“I see,” said Jack. “Lillian is always so kind to me. Yes, well, it’s quite funny really. They say I’m due to be worth six billion dollars, but I sat down with Dad and it seems it will actually be more like eight.”  
Kara glanced sideways at Lena. Lena just nodded her head in resignation.   
“I see,” said Kara, “very fascinating. Well, I’m sorry to leave you, Jack, but we were just headed for the dance floor,” said Kara.  
“May I join you?”  
“Nope,” said Kara quickly, taking Lena’s wrist and pulling her away, “I’m not really into people worth less than ten billion dollars, you see.”  
Lena smiled all the way to the dance floor.

“Should we be doing this?” whispered Lena hesitantly into Kara’s ear. They were hand-in-hand, and Kara had her arm around Lena’s waist as they danced.   
“This is the best kind of cover,” said Kara, “all the straight women do it.”  
“Very true,” said Lena, but her body stayed tense against Kara’s.  
“As long as I don’t take off,” laughed Kara reassuringly, “nobody will catch us.”  
Across the dance floor, Kara could see Lex hitting his friend Finn on the chest and pointing at Lena. The two were laughing. Kara twirled Lena to the side a bit more so they didn’t have to see him.

“What’s an Augusta?” Kara asked after a moment. Her breathing was shallow. She was very aware of the feeling of Lena’s body pressed close against hers, and she was concentrating very hard to stay on the ground.  
“It’s a type of helicopter,” said Lena. “It’s Dad’s favourite one. He takes it to work, usually.”  
“Right,” said Kara, “obviously.”  
“Obviously,” laughed Lena.   
“Maybe they just should have named you Lena Loaded Luthor.”  
“I mean, I chucked ‘favourite’ in there – that’s just me implying that there are many,” smiled Lena smugly. Kara laughed loudly at the joke.  
“Oh yeah? How many helicopters do you have?” asked Kara, giggling. Her heart was fluttering. Lena was so close. Warm. She tried desperately to think of weights.  
“Mmbmmh,” said Lena into Kara’s shoulder.  
“Pardon?” said Kara.  
“Seven,” said Lena.   
Kara burst out laughing. “Obviously,” said Kara. Lena blushed and looked down at the courtyard. Kara pulled her a little closer.  
“Hot,” said Kara finally. Lena laughed loudly against her.

Suddenly, Lex was grinning broadly beside them, standing still amongst the dancing bodies. He glanced back toward his friend, who was about ten metres behind him across the dance floor. They were both sniggering.  
“Lennie,” he said gleefully, and paused. Lena glanced at Kara and rolled her eyes deeply, but Kara could sense Lena tensing.  
“Or should I say – Lezzie?”  
“Honestly, Lex, are you twelve years old?” Lena’s tone was very carefully measured to sound both appalled and uninterested. It seemed to Kara like Lena had had this conversation a number of times before. Finn was cackling in the background.  
“Dad’s asking for you.”  
“Why?”  
“It’s time for the speech.”  
“So?”  
“He asked for you specifically.”   
“Why?”  
“His PR team told him people like to see the father-daughter bond.”  
“What are you, his errand boy?”  
“Hey, he flies me to Portugal on the weekends. Least I can do. Plus, once you leave Kara is going to need someone else to dance with, right Kara?”  
Kara glared at him.  
“Okay, sheesh, take it easy. No need to be a bitch.” And with that, Lex swaggered back to his table across the room. He and Finn high-fived.  
Lena was breathless from holding her temper. She turned to Kara.  
“What a fucking creep,” said Kara sourly.  
“Right?” said Lena. Kara was sure there was a glimmer in her eye, but she couldn’t quite place it. “Will you be okay here by yourself for a minute? I’d better go -”  
Kara nodded.   
“I’m sure you can find someone to, um, rough up a bit, I think you put it?” said Lena. Before Kara could ask anything, Lena was gone.

Lionel tapped gently on the top of the microphone. He stood confidently, his legs apart, his chest high. His smile was wide like Lena’s.   
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said. The crowd hushed quickly, turning to smile up at him. Kara glanced over at Lex. He looked like Lionel, his short hair greased backward into a soft arc. His suit jacket was open, his arms spread wide against the high table beside him. He slung cubes of cheese into his mouth.   
“Welcome to my favourite event of the year, everyone,” said Lionel. “I hope the open bar has been good to you.” The crowd chuckled. A few people raised their glasses. Slowly, Kara began to squeeze her way quietly between people on the dance floor.  
“And many of you will know my daughter, Lena,” said Lionel, gesturing to his side. “She has just come in yesterday, and she’s off back to college tomorrow, so we are very lucky to have her here tonight.”  
Kara stepped in behind Lex. She touched his shoulder softly.   
“How about that dance after all?” she said against his ear. He turned sharply, and grinned when he saw Kara standing there. Lex smirked and caught Finn’s eye. Lillian, who was a table or two behind them, smiled softly at the sight of Kara’s hand resting softly on Lex’s shoulder.  
“You don’t fool me, college girl,” said Lex. “I’ve seen how you look at Lena.”  
Kara began to panic as her plan unravelled before her. She took a deep breath.  
“Are you sure?” she said gently, and then she walked off, making sure to trail her hand flirtatiously across his chest as she went. She didn’t look back. She just headed for a dimly lit path out into the gardens, hoping that she had been in any way convincing.

Finn glanced at Lex.  
“Holy shit mate,” said Finn. His English accent was thick.  
“There’s no way,” said Lex.  
“Maybe you should go and find out,” said Finn.  
Lex looked wholly unconvinced.  
“Even if there is a one percent chance mate, honestly,” said Finn. “Or I’ll go.”  
“Alright, I’m going, I’m going.”  
From across the room, Lillian Luthor smirked as she watched Lex down the rest of his champagne and turn to follow Kara down the path.

The path grew dark as Lex rounded a small bend.  
THUMP!  
Kara slammed her palms into his back, emerging behind him from the shadows. He smashed into the ground with a sharp yell. He scrambled to find his footing. Kara kicked his arm out from underneath him and he collapsed into the dirt.  
“Get off man!” he cried out, scrambling for his footing. Kara let him stand, taking half a step backward.  
“What the fu –”. He let out a loud oomph of air as Kara grabbed him roughly by the shoulders.  
“Look man, honestly,” whimpered Lex, “I don’t want any trouble, listen, I – Kara?”  
The moonlight touched the steely expression on Kara’s face.  
“Surprise,” said Kara. Lex laughed slightly and started trying to wiggle free from Kara’s grip. Kara squeezed. Her fingers sunk into Lex’s biceps. He yelped, and then aggression surged across his face.  
“What the fuck are you doing?” he spat.  
“Showing you that you’re weaker than a woman, mostly.”  
“Let me go, you crazy bitch!” Kara felt her temper flood through her. In a surge of frustration, she flung him backwards. Hard. He flailed wildly and snapped backwards against the path as he landed. She could feel the power of her muscles rippling under her skin.  
“What the fuck is your problem with Lena?” said Kara, looming over Lex’s crumpled form.  
“You’re a Super,” said Lex, eyes a little wider.  
“You’re a homophobe,” said Kara.  
Lex began to smirk.  
“Ah,” he said softly, “did Lena send her little gal pal to rough me up a bit, did she? Sounds like her.”  
“Oh no, this is all me,” said Kara.   
Lex picked himself up off the path and began to dust himself off. “Touch me again and I will end you,” he said. “Do you know how many people would come after you?”  
“You really think you’re winning in this situation?” said Kara, temper rising again.  
“Knowledge is power, sweetheart.”  
“Nobody would believe you, sweetheart,” Kara spat back.  
“Try me.”  
“Leave Lena the fuck alone, or you will get the pleasure of testing out exactly how far I can throw you.”  
“Lena’s friend, is that right? Gal pal? Just a BFFFL, was it?”   
Kara launched at him. He flinched and cried out. She stopped an inch before his face, smiling. She could feel the power glowing just behind her eyes.  
“It must be tough, Lex – caring so much about how many women want you. Knowing they only want you for the money. I get it. But a word of advice? You can smell the misogyny on you from a hundred miles away. No woman is ever going to love you if you carry on being so fragile.”  
Lex’s staunch stare flickered. “Fuck you, you stuck-up bitch. Get off your high horse,” he said, quickly pulling the anger back onto his face.  
“Exactly like that,” said Kara softly, smirking. With a blink of an eye, she was gone. Lex let out all his breath and picked himself up slowly from the path.

Kara slowed back to normal speed as she entered the party. The crowd was clapping and cheering. Lionel was beaming. Lena looked positively uncomfortable, a weak smile stretched thinly across her face. Kara scanned the crowd. Lillian caught her eye and smirked. Kara smoothed out her dress and headed towards the stage.  
“Thank you all very much,” said Lionel, and he placed the microphone back into the stand. Lena hurried off the stage without glancing at her father. Kara met Lena’s eye at once.  
“We had better go,” said Kara quickly. Lena searched her face.  
“Okay, are you okay?” asked Lena.  
“I mean, I’ve never roughed someone up before,” said Kara, “so I’m not sure it actually went that well – anyway we probably don’t want to be – what?” Kara paused. Lena was looking at her in utter disbelief.  
“You actually roughed him up?”  
“Well yeah, I mean you said it was okay? Was it not okay? Oh god, did you not actually mean that I should – I mean, I -”  
Lena laughed. “Kara, Kara, it’s great, you did great. It’s just – nobody has ever roughed anyone up for me before,” she joked. But Kara was too wound up to even notice she was joking.  
“Oh. Well, I’m not even sure I should have. It all felt kind of weird and violent. Like I think I probably threw him a bit far, too,” she said, lowering her voice, “so I think I maybe gave away that I’m a Super?”  
“You what?!” cried Lena loudly. People around them glanced as Kara shushed Lena desperately.  
“I know!” said Kara, “honestly it was so stupid. He called me a crazy bitch and it reminded me of that story of you two in Aruba with Jack, and I just lost it.”  
“God, he’s such a prick,” said Lena. “I remember that.”  
“Like, such a prick,” said Kara. “I couldn’t take it. Like holy crap, he really hates women, doesn’t he? He called me a bitch like six times.”  
Lena took Kara softly by the arm, looping her arm through Kara’s to form a link, and pressing gently into Kara’s side. Kara felt her whole body soften into Lena’s.   
“Here he comes now,” said Lena, glancing across the courtyard. His suit looked a little dusty, even from where they stood. Some of his thickly gelled hair stood up at odd angles. They both watched as he strode quickly into the crowd towards Finn.   
“Okay, let’s go now, please,” said Kara. Lena nodded and led Kara towards the main doors.

**

Kara and Lena lay facing each other on Lena’s bed.   
“Surely he won’t tell anyone,” said Lena finally.  
“Well that’s what I thought, too, but maybe he will call my bluff? I mean, I really don’t know how these threat things are supposed to go, but there was a bit there where I really thought he was going to win. I don’t think I’m cut out for this.”  
“The thing about the women was a nice touch,” laughed Lena. “Straight to the insecurities. You’ll have to start planning your supervillain name now.”  
“I already have my supervillain name planned, actually.”  
“Go on,” said Lena.  
“The Commander of Death,” said Kara in a deep voice.  
“Sounds very sexy Goth,” Lena said, laughing. “I like it.”  
“Ugh, it was actually kinda satisfying beating him up. I think I’m gonna be a great supervillain.”  
“You would be the literal worst supervillain. I don’t think you could do it.”  
“Um, excuse you?!” laughed Kara.  
“You are too kind to everyone,” smiled Lena gently. She blushed slightly.  
“Oh,” said Kara. They lay there for a moment, just watching each other. Kara could hear Lena’s heart pounding. Softly, Kara reached out and lay her hand onto Lena’s cheek. Lena’s breath caught in her throat. Kara stretched forward and took Lena’s lips in hers, jaw softening deeply into the kiss.   
Lena pulled away slowly. “I have an idea,” she said. Kara smiled, and kissed her again.

Their quiet giggles wafted gently out across the twinkling city lights. The lights of the pool glittered against the black edges of the water. Lena flicked off the last of the inside lights, and took Kara gently by the hand. In the darkness, Kara let her fluttering pulse lift her from the floor. Lena felt her take off, and just pulled her along gently like a balloon.

At the edge of the pool, barely illuminated by the soft lights, Lena stopped. She turned to face Kara, tugging her softly to the ground. They kissed slowly, fingers still intertwined. Lena reached up to Kara’s back, teasing open the long zip down her dress. Then she stretched back up on tiptoes to kiss Kara’s lips; she had begun to float above the deck. With a fluttering chest, Lena eased the dress from Kara’s shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Kara nuzzled into Lena with her nose, and kissed her softly, again and again. Then Lena untied her own dress at the back and it fell to the deck with a swish.

Nervously, Lena led Kara over to the edge of the pool. Biting her lip shyly, Lena carefully unhooked her own bra and tossed it to the ground. Then she slipped off her underwear slowly. Kara blushed brilliantly red. Lena hid her shy smile behind her long hair, and stepped to the edge of the pool. Kara hurriedly began unhooking her own bra. She fumbled, flustered, as she watched Lena slip gently into the water. Kara quickly followed her. She paused to consider how she might be able to enter the pool gracefully. Lena splashed her playfully from the water, giggling softly. Kara grinned broadly.  
“Coming?” said Lena playfully.  
Kara laughed and stepped out over the water. Only, she didn’t let her weight fall, instead hovering over the surface of the water. Lena laughed and tried to splash at her again. Then, with a broad grin, Kara lowered herself gently into the water, centimetres from Lena’s face.  
“Show off,” grinned Lena softly, leaning into Kara for a kiss.  
“What if someone comes home?” asked Kara.  
“They won’t,” said Lena, “they love wining and dining. It’s like their natural habitat.”  
Kara looked hesitant.  
“Otherwise I’m relying on your super speed and super hearing to save us.”  
“Ha,” said Kara. “What about the one hundred cameras?”  
“Dad’s password is LexLena2017. This isn’t my first rodeo, let’s say.”  
Kara let out a low whistle. “Lena Barbara Luthor! What have you been up to?”  
“And wouldn’t you like to know,” laughed Lena, taking a large breath and dipping below the water. Kara watched, transfixed, as Lena shot away under the surface of the water and popped up at the other end of the pool a moment later.  
“Did you just swim away from the question?” giggled Kara.  
“Maybe,” smiled Lena, running her hands up her face and through her hair to get rid of the water. Kara laughed, and took a breath. She sunk into the warm water and pushed herself easily into super speed. In a blink, she eased herself out of the water beside Lena once more. As she emerged from the water, Lena caught Kara’s face in her hands and drew her into a long, deep kiss. Kara’s hands sunk immediately to Lena’s naked legs, hoisting her higher in the water. Lena wrapped her legs around Kara’s waist and kissed Kara deeply. Kara held them both there, their heads just above the water, as they kissed passionately in the moonlight, the city lights glowing into the night behind them.

Kara heard it too late. The small click of a phone screen, and the sharp release of Lex’s breath in a quiet chuckle.   
“No!” she cried, but Lex vanished back into the dark lounge.   
“Fuck!” said Kara under her breath. She listened for other bodies in the room. She could hear Lillian in the kitchen making a drink, ice cubes fluttering softly as the rum bounced off them. Lio must not be there. She leapt from the pool, grabbing at her towel in super speed. She could hear Lena’s confused calls from behind her, but she couldn’t wait. She tuned her ears for Lex. She could hear him running towards the other end of the apartment, his breathing quick. She would have to risk crossing the kitchen. Slamming to a stop, and taking a small step backward, she launched into super speed, tearing through the kitchen at what she hoped was too quick of a speed for Lillian to notice at all. She boosted towards Lex’s room and slammed through the door.

Lex leapt in fright as she appeared behind him. Without word, she slapped the phone out of his hand and caught it in mid-air. She could see everything in ultra slow motion when she was in super speed. She could see every pixel in the hazy photograph, still on the screen, as the phone tipped slowly towards the ground. She watched Lex’s face began to contort from surprise into what could only be described as grief. She felt the phone graze gently on her palm as she closed her fingers around it. She felt the power in her fingers flexing lightly against the phone, and watched the glass shatter against her impermeable hand as she tightened her grip. The internal parts crunched like rice pops in her hand and began falling towards the floor in tiny pieces. 

With a whoosh, her wet hair whipping out behind her, she spun back toward the door and stepped heavily into super speed. She could hear Lillian’s rings clinking lightly against the neck of the rum bottle, so she pressed on through the kitchen. In moments, she was back at the side of the pool. Lena had only just swam to the edge.  
“Kara?!” she hissed hurriedly.  
Kara reached down quickly for Lena’s towel, catching her own and retucking it into itself as the momentum of super speed whipped through it.  
“Lex,” said Kara, “I didn’t even hear them come in. Oh god, I don’t know if I got to him in time.”  
“Kara,” said Lena impatiently, “what about Lex?!”  
“He was there,” said Kara, pointing to the large window of the lounge, “he took a picture.”  
Lena’s face went white.  
“I must have been too distracted,” said Kara, “I didn’t hear anything, and then all of a sudden there was just this click. Fuck, I should have been listening, I just didn’t think they’d be home so soon, I – “  
“Slow down,” said Lena softly, soothingly. “I’m sure it will be fine. You made him delete it?”  
“I crushed his phone in my hand,” said Kara, flexing her fingers slightly.  
“Okay,” Lena said, more to herself than anything. “Okay, good.”

**

The rasping bells of Lena’s alarm woke them both up. They were both naked, tangled together in the warmth of Lena’s huge duvet. Kara smiled at the smell of Lena’s hair as she shrugged herself out of her sleep.   
“Hey,” breathed Kara sleepily.  
“Hi,” smiled Lena, rolling over to face Kara. She brought her hand to her mouth, desperate to hide any lingering morning breath. Kara smiled and yawned widely.   
“What do you think is the best way to sneak back?” asked Kara.  
“I’m sorry,” said Lena, “but I am still having trouble comprehending just how fast you are. Like, I can’t believe you ran past Mum so fast last night that she didn’t even notice? Like what on Earth?”  
Kara smiled smugly. “So you think super speed? Rather than a good, old fashioned tiptoe?”  
Lena nodded. “But don’t go yet,” she said, kissing Kara softly on the neck. Kara’s eyelids fluttered closed, and she let out a soft moan.

Kara wished she could melt into the breakfast table. The attendants from the hotel below had brought up a trolley loaded with food. A huge, Instagram-worthy spread of fresh fruit and quinoa muesli and various other rich-person foods decorated the table. Kara had watched Lena out of the corner of her eye, hoping to judge how much food was the acceptable amount to take. But Lena had barely touched anything. She was too busy glaring across the table at Lex, who wore a huge, satisfied grin. Even the way he tossed strawberries into his mouth was smug. Kara glanced at Lillian’s plate, but she also wasn’t touching much. She had her sunglasses on inside and a packet of aspirin beside her. Kara took half a rock melon and started poking at it with her spoon. Every time she glanced up, Lex was still gazing smugly at Lena. Kara quickly found herself stabbing too firmly into the pale fruit.

“So, girls, did you have a good night?” asked Lillian with a tired drawl.  
Silence.   
Lena glared fiercely at Lex as he began to chuckle and nod.  
“They had a grea – oof.” Kara felt Lena swing a kick under the table.  
“Mmm,” said Kara, quick to close the space for Lex to talk. “Yes, thank you for having me. It was a beautiful venue.”  
“I really would have preferred to have it at the castle like we did two years ago,” said Lillian, “but I think it turned out well.”  
“How did you find it?” asked Kara politely.  
“The champagne doesn’t bounce off me like it used to,” sighed Lillian, “but it was good to see you and Lex getting along so well.”  
“Sorry?” said Kara.  
“Ah,” said Lillian smiling. She seemed to be watching Lena. “I was young once, I know what happens down dark paths at parties.”   
Lena was satisfied to see Lex’s smug expression fall from his face somewhat, if only for a moment.   
“Oh,” said Kara into her rock melon, “no, nothing happened.”  
Lillian nodded her head knowingly and took a long sip of her water.   
“Whatever you say, dear. At any rate, I don’t think anyone had a better night than Lio. I don’t think he’ll be going in to work tomorrow.”  
“I can go in for him?” asked Lex. Lena smiled at the vulnerability in his voice.   
“I thought you and Finn could head down to Portugal this week, darling. I hear the beaches are nice this time of year.” She glanced up in time to watch his face fall. He grabbed another strawberry from the bowl to hide it.  
“The company will be fine if he is away for one day,” continued Lillian. Then she turned back to Kara. “It was nice to have you along, Kara. It is always nice to meet Lena’s friends.”  
Lex snorted. He grinned obnoxiously at Lena, relishing the reactions he was getting.  
“We hope to have you back again very soon,” said Lillian, glancing at her snorting son, clearly unimpressed by his table manners. “Don’t we, Lex?”  
Lena was really staring him down now.  
“Oh yeah. I think I speak for all of us, Kara, when I say it has been a pleasure.”  
“What is that supposed to mean?” said Lena angrily. Lex cackled loudly, pleased to have finally exacted such a strong reaction.  
“Don’t get your knickers in a twist, Lennie, or Kara won’t be able to get them off later.”  
Kara smashed her spoon all the way through her rock melon. It made a sharp cracking noise, but thankfully she caught herself before she split the plate.  
“Oh, grow up!” said Lena lividly.   
“Lex, it’s too early for winding everyone up, thanks,” said Lillian, “can you give it a rest?”  
“But it’s so much fun,” smiled Lex smugly.   
Lena pushed her chair out loudly and stormed from the table. She stomped off down the hallway toward her room. Kara was left there, glancing awkwardly from Lillian’s rolling eyes to Lex’s insufferable grin.   
“I’d better – sorry, excuse me a moment,” said Kara, fumbling her napkin back onto the table. She grabbed two pieces of toast from the table and hurried after Lena. A low wolf whistle echoed out from Lex as she left. 

Lena was hastily shoving her things into her suitcase.  
“Hey,” said Kara softly as she eased into the room.  
“He’s so fucking smug!” cried Lena. “I wish I could just -” she motioned squishing his head in with her hands.  
“Little shit,” said Kara, nodding.  
“I just want to get out of here,” Lena said, turning to glance at Kara. Her expression was pleading.  
“Okay,” said Kara softly. “Toast?” She held out one of her pieces to Lena.   
Lena smiled broadly at the gesture, but shook her head. “You have it. You must be starving.”  
“Toast always helps me feel better,” said Kara, still holding it out to Lena.  
“You’re really cute, but honestly, I’ll have something at the airport. I just have to get away from him.”  
“Okay,” said Kara, shoving the entire piece of toast into her mouth in an attempt to cheer Lena up. Lena was too worked up, and just sighed as she searched the room for her things. Kara swallowed the toast stiffly and headed over to her own room to pack.

Within ten minutes they were striding down the hallway towards the door.   
“Bye!” called Lena, heading straight for the door.  
“Already?!” cried Lillian from the hot tub. With a splash, she stood up quickly and rushed inside to head them off. “Don’t leave on such a sour note, Lena darling. You’ll have frown lines the rest of the week.”  
“He’s a prat, and I’d rather hang out anywhere else,” said Lena.  
“He’s just being a boy!” laughed Lillian.   
Kara caught Lena’s eye with a knowing look.   
“It wouldn’t hurt you to settle down and stop being so sensitive about it, either. You know he just does it for the reaction.”  
“Oh, so he just gets to do whatever he wants because he’s a boy?” said Lena. “You might have to put up with his shit, but I can just leave. So here I go.”  
“If I didn’t know any better I’d think that he’d hit a nerve or something,” said Lillian with a small smirk. Kara turned away slightly to blush, but Lena held Lillian’s prying gaze.  
“Okay,” said Lillian dramatically, “well it was good to see you! And it was lovely to meet you, Kara. Both of you, please come back soon! This old house gets lonely when they’re both away. Plenty of room for you. I would give you a hug, but –”. She glanced down at herself, her wet togs forming a small puddle on the cool floor.  
“Thanks very much for having me, Lillian,” said Kara. “Hopefully next time we can swap a few more stories about Lena when she was growing up.”  
“Oh yes!” said Lillian happily. “She was such a ridiculous child.”  
“Okay,” interjected Lena quickly. “Bye, Mum.” Lena pulled the front door open.  
“Aren’t you going to say goodbye to your brother?” asked Lillian.  
“Nope,” said Lena, and she swung her suitcase out towards the elevator.

“What do you want to do?” asked Lena as the elevator doors swooshed closed in front of them.  
“What do you mean?” asked Kara.  
“Well, we can go straight to the airport and they will put us on the next flight. Or,” she smiled, “we could wait for our actual flight and hang out for a bit. And really it would be criminal to come this far and not even go to the beach.”  
Kara grinned. “Is that even a question?”  
“Not really,” smiled Lena. The elevator slowed, and the doors glided open softly.  
“Follow my lead,” said Lena quickly. Kara, who had been ready to stroll towards the main doors, glanced around. Lena had ducked the other way down the corridor. Kara spun around and trailed after her. Lena came to a service door marked ‘Employees Only’. She glanced around, then reached for the handle, and pulled Kara inside behind her. 

They were in a large closet room that held shelves of cleaning supplies and big trolleys filled with hotel washing. Lena flicked the lock closed behind them. Kara shuffled into one of the rows.  
“We can get changed in here, and then leave our stuff until the flight. Lex and I used to come through here all the time when we were younger. The hotel people never minded.”  
Kara grinned, and unzipped her backpack. She fished her togs from the bottom of the bag, and quickly stripped out of her clothes. Lena wolf whistled softly, pulling on her dark bikini as she giggled at Kara’s reaction. Kara pulled on a sports bra and the old pair of rugby shorts she used as swimmers. Her abs stuck out clearly against the black bra.  
“It’s a shame they won’t let Supers play sport,” said Lena, glancing at Kara’s sports attire. “You’d make such a hot pro athlete.”  
Kara laughed as she dug out her sunglasses. Lena grabbed a towel from the freshly folded pile in the corner, and passed another over to Kara.   
“What about sunblock?” asked Kara, glancing around to see if she had forgotten anything. She watched herself reflected in Lena’s aviators.   
“They’ll have some at the front desk,” said Lena.  
“You can’t go to the front desk, I’ll have to spend two hours taking photos on fangirls’ phones.”  
“No,” smirked Lena brightly. “But you can go.”

Glancing behind her at Lena, who was giggling and hiding around the corner of the service corridor, Kara strode hesitantly across the foyer. As she had been instructed, she headed straight for the far-left side of the reception desk. Sure enough, there was a large pump bottle of suncream, and several small bottles, perched at the edge of the desk. A small sign said ‘complimentary’ in English, Chinese, French, and maybe German? Kara’s orders were to bring back a smaller tube, but an idea was beginning to form. She smiled widely. Instead of taking a smaller tube, Kara reached up for the neck of the pump bottle. Loudly and vigorously, she began to pump sunblock into her open palm. After ten or twelve pumps, the pile of white cream was high, and threatening to overflow between her fingers. She struggled to contain her giggles as the concierge glanced over with concern. Only when it began overflowing did Kara stop pumping. Several people in the lobby were watching her. She put a serious look on her face, held her large pile of sunblock out in front of her, and strode back towards the service corridor. 

Lena’s brow was deeply furrowed when Kara reached her.  
“What happened to inconspicuous?” she whispered, not sure whether to be annoyed or to laugh.  
Kara said nothing. She reached out with her free hand, took a large section of the pile of sunblock, and smeared it onto Lena’s cheek. Part of the section immediately fell off with the weight, and plopped onto Lena’s shoulder.  
“What the fuck, Kara?” whispered Lena, retreating quickly towards the laundry closet. Kara cackled and ran after Lena, another large blob of sunscreen stretched out in front of her. Lena shrieked with laughter as she slammed through the closet door. Kara gave chase, promptly smearing Lena across the back.  
“I wanted to be safe,” laughed Kara as Lena squealed and extended her hands in surrender. “Hard to say whether Spanish sunblock is even designed for someone as ghostly as you.”  
Lena laughed at the insult, throwing her head into the air. Then in one swift motion, she scooped the pile of sunblock from her shoulder and splattered it onto Kara’s arm. Kara’s mouth gaped in pretend shock as she laughed. Then, without another word, she slapped her entire handful of sunblock onto Lena’s chest, right over her heart. Lena shrieked as some of the cream spattered into her face and onto the shelves around her with the impact.

They snuck out through an old fire escape at the far end of the corridor. It opened out into a small alleyway that led straight to the beach. The heat and salty air hit them immediately. Kara smiled happily and stretched her face toward the sun.  
“That’s the stuff,” said Kara in satisfaction. Lena smiled and led her towards the beach.

They decided on a walk along the promenade. Lena, adequately disguised in her mirrored glasses and high bun, stretched out and tangled her fingers into Kara’s. Kara smiled and rubbed her thumb across the back of the Lena’s hand. Kara could feel her muscles rippling with power in the sunshine. 

About halfway down the beach, they decided to build a sandcastle. They discussed their options, and then sketched an elaborate floor plan on the sand. They joked and showered each other with affection, happily hidden from fans as they blended in amongst the beachgoers. Lena dug studiously and packed the sand tightly as Kara absent-mindedly hunted for decorations. 

Once their elaborate structure was built, and its decorations added, Kara suggested they use their final hour to go for a swim. Lena looked hesitantly at the cold water as she walked towards the ocean. Kara had a slightly different approach. She took off at a sprint towards the water, yelling wildly in excitement. Lena laughed as Kara began tucking her legs up as she leapt over the shallow waves, salt water spraying in her wake. She looked impressively human. Lena stepped into the water and gasped slightly at the temperature. She glanced up in time to see Kara belly flop forward into a wave and dunk beneath the surface. A moment later, she resurfaced, gasping a bit with the cold and then immediately calling back to Lena about how warm it was. 

Lena laughed and waded in slowly, flinching as the gentle waves lapped coldly onto dry skin. Eventually, Lena made it out to Kara, and stood chest-deep in the salty water as she listened to Kara talk animatedly about her childhood trips to the beach. With a grin, Lena pulled Kara close to her and kissed her softly. 

Back at the hotel, they wrapped their towels around their torsos and padded straight for the reception desk. Maria, who spotted Lena coming, called them over to her spot at the desk. In Spanish, Lena asked if they could borrow a shower. Maria laughed, gesturing upstairs as she lead them towards the hotel.   
“It’s not like you to avoid the house, Lena,” said Maria in her accented English. Kara smiled warmly at her, understanding the gesture was entirely for her. Lena laughed heartily and thanked Maria again. Maria led them to another employee wing and swiped them into the room with the showers. They thanked her profusely as she left. Then, stripping down quickly, they squeezed into a cubicle together and rinsed off as much of the salt and sand as they could find.

They snuck back across the lobby, this time naked under their tightly-wrapped towels. Lena had put her sunglasses back on, so she looked very similar to any other beachgoing tourist in the lobby. But Kara mostly just looked naked. They padded across quickly, trying not to giggle too much, and retreated back into the laundry closet. Lena dumped both their shower and beach towels into a large laundry trolley filled with linen. Then she hunted down a plastic bag from the shelving and shoved their soggy togs inside. She wrapped the bag around itself and packed it into the top of her bag. Warm, giggly, and naked, the pair pulled their clothes back on quickly. Grabbing their bags, they hustled to the front doors, right on time. Pablo was standing in the shade of the entrance, waiting for them. A town car waited nearby.

Lena and Pablo’s goodbye at the airport was long. Pablo had to promise to send her more of their favourite snacks. Kara didn’t quite catch the name. They hugged three times. Then Pablo cooed at Kara and pulled her into a tight hug. Kara smiled over their shoulder at Lena.   
“Look after her,” said Pablo softly, so that Lena wouldn’t hear. Kara nodded as she pulled away from the hug, and Pablo smiled.

The airport fanfare was less shocking this time, and the security quickly swept them away to the first-class lounge. They headed straight to the buffet table. Lena took a plate of fruit and some club sandwiches. Kara piled her plate so high with dumplings and miniature quiches that she dropped one on the floor as they headed to sit down.

Two Sprites were waiting for them as they boarded, and Louise chatted happily with them about their trip. They watched movies together by syncing their screens, Lena always bursting out laughing a split second after Kara. 

The security escorted them through a back route when they landed, and after customs, they headed out to find Kara’s car. Kara insisted on paying the exorbitant fee herself, arguing that Lena had just flown her first class to Spain.  
“Just because you’re loaded doesn’t mean you have to show it off all the time!” laughed Kara as she swiped her card into the reader.

As they pulled onto the highway, Kara reached over and wound her fingers into Lena’s. Lena smiled, winding down the window to enjoy the late spring sunshine and the warm breeze. 

Kara was adamant that using ‘power pole’ as one word in I Spy was not cheating, much to Lena’s disgust.   
“That should be P … P … !” Lena cried. Kara rejected all protests outright. Indignant, Lena pulled her phone from her pocket immediately and flicked on the data. She searched for the rules of I Spy and read Kara several different articles that stated two words meant she had to announce two letters.  
“No way,” laughed Kara. “You’re just reading articles that support your claims.”  
“Yeah,” said Lena. “All of them.”  
As they argued, Lena’s phone began to ping. She glanced at everything. Updates. But then she noticed a message from Lexa. She swiped it open.  
“Check Instagram. It’s bad,” said the message.  
“Weird,” said Lena out loud. “I just got a message from Lexa telling me to check Instagram? That can’t be good.”   
Kara glanced over and scanned the worried expression on Lena’s face.  
“Nip slip at the beach?” said Kara lightly, hoping to lift the mood. Lena tapped into the browser and began to type. The first result on her autofill took her straight to Lex’s blog.   
“Oh no,” said Lena. It sounded like all her breath had been sucked out of her.  
“What is it?” asked Kara quickly.  
“Oh fuck,” said Lena. “Fuuuuuck.”  
“Lena, what?” said Kara, tension rising in her voice.  
“It’s us. In the pool. We’re kissing.”  
“What?” said Kara in surprise. “I crushed his phone!”  
“I guess not before it backed up to the cloud,” said Lena. She swore some more, staring off out the window with worry.  
“And you can see everything?” asked Kara.  
“No, not really. You can’t even tell it’s us.”  
“Oh, okay, that’s not so bad, right?”  
“Well, you wouldn’t be able to tell, except he wrote ‘Good taste in women must run in the family’ as the caption,” said Lena, her voice beginning to break.  
“Fucker,” said Kara, suddenly angry. “Let’s go back and I can squish his head in for real.”  
“I’m so sorry,” said Lena, tears welling up in her eyes, and voice shaking, “you were right, we shouldn’t have gone in the pool.”  
Kara stretched over and took Lena’s hand firmly within her own.  
“It’s not your fault at all,” Kara soothed. “He’s a fucking prick. Who the fuck outs someone on Instagram? Like doesn’t he have anything fucking better to do? What a ratty little asswipe.”  
Lena didn’t say anything. She just stared out the window, jaw set, tears rolling heavily down her sunburnt cheeks.


End file.
